Robin's are Red, Violet's are Blue
by JokerzPrincezz
Summary: When Violet, a small town girl, visits her best friend in Gotham City, she never expects to catch the eye of the Clown Prince himself. When J first sees Violet across the bar, he never expects for his world to turn upside down. AU, OOC, Joker/OC
1. King of Hearts

He was dreaming. He knew he was, he must be. He was mad, that's true, but he still saw reality. Well, most of the time.

It was so bright, neon green and purple flashing obnoxiously, and there she was. His angel, his Harley. Well, his almost Harley. A familiar feeling of guilt clawed up his throat like bile. Harley smiled at him, her beautiful blonde hair hanging around her shoulders, drenched, and frazzled. Her lips weren't the supple pink he first kissed, but the white ones he breathed into on her last day. Her clothes, and skin, where melted and burnt. He cried out to her, and she reached to him.

"I'm sorry" he whispered, tears in his eyes. He was sorry. He killed her. He killed his Harley. He didn't know that the chemicals would kill her. He didn't know that she had an autoimmune disease; he didn't know she wouldn't be transformed like he was. He didn't know she would die.

She smiled at him sadly. "Oh, Puddin', it's not your fault." Her melted hand, still wet with the acid, cupped his cheek. He cried even harder, tears dripping into his red mouth, tasting of salt, regret, and weakness. Her white, chapped lips, kissed his forehead.

He woke.

It was early, only 4AM; he'd only been in bed a few hours. His bed, with the purple satin sheets, was big, and cold. His cheeks stained with tears. He sobbed again in pain, and began to scream, grasping at his neon green hair. He screamed, and screamed, and then, began to laugh. It started out as broken sobs, and became full blown streams of laughter.

* * *

WEDNESDAY

I stared at myself in the mirror, fidgeting with my hair. Dawn had curled it for me, despite my obvious disdain. My makeup was, as always flawless, but my face was pinched. I didn't want to go to this club with her.

I'd know Dawn since we were just kids, I, not to brag, knew her better than anyone else on earth. Yet, when she'd announced at her graduation party that she intended to move to Gotham for school, I was shocked. Dawn was the daughter of a small town Texas Sherriff; she was sweet, brilliant, and innocent. To imagine her in a rough place like Gotham was…. Frightening to say the least. That night, we'd argued, a screaming, throwing things argument. I was scared for her; she was an adrenaline junkie, with a naivety that would have her dead within a week.

That was two years ago. We're now twenty-one, and twenty, and it's the end of summer break before my second year of college. She invited me to spend the week at her apartment, and after much debating, and packing, and repacking of knifes, and pepper spray, I agreed. Three days ago, I flew in from Dallas, to Gotham. The closer we got to Gotham, the more anxious I became. Everyone had heard the stories, giant men dressed at bats, murderers, assassins, mobs, corruption. The crime rate was through the roof, one in five people would be assaulted, one in twenty murdered, and one in two mugged. I knew I was in over my head. I was just a small town girl, the worst I'd ever come up against was some kid trying to take my lunch money from my locker in high school. As the tarmac came into view, I felt like I was willingly walking into the devils den.

Dawn had to work the first two days I was here and last night when she got home from her waitressing job, she grinned at me slyly.

"Soooooo, Vi, how would you feel about an outing?"

I looked at her skeptically over my glasses. "An…. Outing?" My eyebrow rose. Dawn knew me as well as I knew her, and part of that knowing, was that she was fully aware I hated loud noise, strange people, and parties. I didn't drink, I didn't do drugs, and my dancing was…. Lack luster to say the least. However, she pouted, her big brown eyes boring into me, and assured me that her boyfriend, Jeremiah, would be there.

"It's this awesome club, King of Hearts, everyone goes there, please, plllllleeeeeaaaasssseeeee?" Her voice had taken on a high pitched, irritating tone. Finally I groaned and agreed.

As I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my necklace, and fidgeting with my simple, relatively modest, dark purple dress, I couldn't help the anxiety that came over me. I hated clubs. I hated loud music, I hated strangers, I hated drunk guys, but God did I love Dawn.

She emerged from her room, a loose tank top, and multiple necklaces adorned her flat chest. Tight, barely there black shorts and fishnets showed off her long legs, and toned buttocks. Her fiery red hair was artfully mussed, and her black lipstick impeccably painted on. She looked hot. So hot, I almost didn't recognize her as the once eleven year old girl I'd met ten years ago until she stepped into the light. Her freckles, as always, where in full view, and I let out a small chuckle. She grinned at me with her abnormally small teeth, which I'd always called baby teeth, bemused. I began to laugh, giggling madly. Her teeth where so small, her freckles all consuming, she looked like a child.

"What?" she asked, grinning at me with a cocked eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing, it's just…. You look like a little girl playing dress up!" I giggled again, and she rolled her eyes. She stuck her tongue out at me, and grabbed her purse from the counter.

"Up yours!" she called as she walked toward the door. I grinned and followed her, shaking my head.

* * *

J

I always wondered why I bought this club. The gold, the lights, it was much too bright for my taste. None of the girls that danced here where even close to being as lovely as my Harley.

"Nice to meet you J." came a deep voice next to me, pulling me from my reverie. I didn't yet meet his eyes, waiting for him to be seated in front of me. I heard Frost mutter to him, directing the man to the seat across from me. I looked at him, assessing.

He was a broad man, his skin tan, his hair, long and stringy, was pulled into a low ponytail. His eyes where dark, almost the same black of his hair, and his multiple tattoos were artfully placed on most every inch of exposed skin. I blinked, and raised an eyebrow, already bored.

He talked, chatted, and bored me half to death, something about a deal on the docks. God he was boring. As I stared at him with dull eyes, I began to day dream. Oh how fun it would be to play with him. Perhaps I could cut off his tattoos, and stretch them out. Let it dry out, and put them on my walls. He would scream, of course, and bleed. Maybe even die. The idea made me grin widely. He cleared his throat, taking me out of my day dream. He looked uncomfortable, with a small edge of fear. I growled in my throat, as I realized I wouldn't get to kill him, or keep his pretty tattoos as wall art. He was useful, and necessary to me, especially with that Bat in my city. I barely heard his terms, something about guns, some of the clubs girls, protection from the law, and money. God, these people where so booorrrriiiing.

All they cared about was sex, money, and survival. How dull. I grunted at him, and narrowed my eyes. He swallowed, jaw tense, fear barely hidden in his dark eyes. I grinned at him, and looked over my club.

"There" I pointed at the clear box at the center of the dance floor. Ana, a new girl, veteran hooker from Chicago, was dancing, her long, strawberry blonde hair swinging behind her. Her partner, Ayesha, a black girl with beautiful eyes, and full lips, who I'd indulged in upon occasion, was hanging from the chains, her ass on full display.

"Frost, tell them that they are to, if they are willing, service this…" My nose turned up as I looked the man over again. "Gentlemen… whenever he asks. If they say no, call Charlie. She'll do it." Charlie was a young college student, who stared at me with goo-goo eyes any time she saw me. It was slightly irritating, but I hadn't killed her, because her long golden hair and big blue eyes reminded me of my Harley. She was willing to do anything that had even a smidgen of a chance to impress me. Frost nodded at me, and motioned for the man to follow him. The man nodded at me.

"Thanks J, um, about the police and money-"

"UUUGGGHHHH" I rolled my eyes at him, and let lose one of my knives; it just barely missed him and wedged itself into the wall.

"If I'm giving you my girls, don't you think I'll do the rest?" I laughed and rolled my eyes again. The law wasn't even an issue for me. Most GCPD resided in my pocket, and the rest were easily sedated. And money? What use did I have for money? No, money was a non-issue for me. As a child, I'd never dreamed of the riches I had now. But still, it didn't make me happy. No, the only thing that made me happy these days was power, and respect. You don't need money for that; all you need is fear, which I caused in spades.

I flicked my wrist in annoyance, dismissing the irritating man from my presence.

I turned back to the window, and watched them reenter the first floor, and Frost escorted the man out, handing him a black and gold business card, and shaking his hand. My eyes wondered over the rest of my patrons, pondering Frost. I don't do friends, I'm the Joker after all, but if I did, I imagine I'd pick him. He's not dull, at least not when he loosens up. On the job though, he's loyal, and quick witted. He gets the job done effectively, and with minimal, or maximum casualties, depending on the situation. I couldn't help but think about how irritating it would be if he died and I had to replace him.

I moved my eyes from the dance floor, to the bar. Girls, nursing drinks, waiting for johns and clumsy one night stands, lined the bar, men, leering at the women on the dance floor, got more and more drunk, fumbling to flirt with any girl who would listen. How dull, how absolutely boring normal people-

Then, I saw her. She was curved, like a Greek goddess of old, her hair, which was curled and artfully pinned, was dark, I couldn't tell how dark from this far, but it looked black. Her face was lovely, her lips, full and smiling, where an oxblood red, it looked as though she had used someone's blood to color them. The thought made my mouth go dry. God, her skin was so pale, only perhaps a shade or two more alive looking than my own, and her dress, though christianly modest compared to the girls around her, hugged her curves in a delightful manner. She sat by herself, watching over two purses, and two drinks. Her eyes swiveled from a phone, to the dance floor, to the drinks, and back, keeping guard. A girl suddenly broke free from the dance floor, and made her way toward the little dove like girl at my bar. The girl's hair was fiery red, her skin a few shades darker than her friends. The girls seemed to be laughing, though the little dove was reserved, and smiled as if indulging an old friend, which she may well have been doing. The red head pulled on her hand, and dragged the dove onto the dance floor.

Frost was making his way back up the stairs, the moment he was in the loft; I dragged him to the window. He was confused, but didn't argue with me.

"You see those purses on the end there?" I asked eyes wide.

"The ones that are just left out in the open?" He asked brow furrowed. I nodded excitedly, biting my lip.

"Go get me the IDs from them." I ordered. Frost, the smart man that he was, didn't question me; instead he shrugged and went back down stairs. As I saw him making his way through the crowd, I was suddenly hit with guilt. What was I doing? Yes it had been five years, but I had killed my Harley, my angel. How dare I look at another woman like I looked at her? I began to grab at my hair in distress, when I smelt her perfume.

I turned around, and there she was, beautiful, bright, in her blue shirt, and black jeans, her long hair hanging to her waist. Whole, perfect, beautiful. She smiled at me, and walked toward me. "It's ok J, you can move on."

I knew it wasn't real, and felt my heart break. "No, angel, I killed you." I whispered, casting my eyes away from her perfect face. I felt a coldness, which somehow felt like home, cup my cheek. I met her eyes again, and she smiled.

"Puddin', I know you love me, but you have to move on." She smiled again, and kissed me softly. I leaned in, wanting it to be real…

The door opened, I looked around me. No Harley no scent of her perfume, no lingering cold.

I glared at Frost, who lifted an eyebrow, and held out two driver's license. One belonged to the red headed girl, and had her name, along with general information.

Resident of New Jersey, 5'4 blah blah blah, red hair, brown eyes, blah blah blah, 21 years old, blah blah, Dawn C. Mulligan

I handed it back to Frost, "Take a picture, run a background check on her, I want to know where she lives, works, how long she's been in Gotham, any… notable acquaintances, the works." Frost nodded, and waited patiently as I examined the second ID.

This one was different. It was a Texas ID, and I couldn't help a small scoff. "My my, the little dove has certainly made a migration…" I muttered.

Resident of Texas, green eyes, 5'6, 20 years old, black hair,

Violet Xaviera Wardust

"Violet" I whispered, the name like the sweetest syrup on my lips. A small draft floated through the room, Harleys perfume tickled my nose. I knew it was her way of giving a blessing.

"This one…" I held out the ID, my eyes trained on her pictured face. "I want everything on her. I want everything on her parents, I want to know every move she's made since the moment her father impregnated her mother." Frost, now looking truly confused, gently took the ID from me.

"Er, boss, you know I don't usually ask questions but…." I looked at him, expectantly.

"Who are they? I mean? This girl's from Texas, what could you possibly want with her?" He asked, confusion painting his blue eyes. I giggled, and began to laugh madly.

My giggles finally subsided, and Frost still stood there, confused. "Frost…" I said.

"I think I want a date with her."


	2. Dangerous Attraction

A/N Hi, welcome to the story! I've actually written everything, but I plan on just uploading one or two chapters a day. For those of you who are like me, and hate the dreaded "Hiatus" or "abandoned" stories, welcome to the safe haven. It's basically impossible for me to leave you hanging!

If you have any questions, comments, criticisms, please, feel free to either PM me or leave a review! I greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much for reading my baby!

* * *

POV will switch often, and if you haven't figured out yet, the letter at the beginning is the persons initial.

V- Violet

D-Dawn

J- Joker/J

F- Frost

B-Nananananananana BATMAN

A-Alfred

Exc exc. Enjoy!

* * *

V

God I hated night clubs. Why I agreed, I had no idea. We had been here an hour already, the lights flashing, it was hot, too hot, bodies grinding, music blaring. How dull. I sighed and looked at Dawn again, grinding against Jer, her red hair swinging back and forth hips swiveling on Jeremiah's crotch, ew. Although the sight was more sexual than I ever wanted to see my best friend, I couldn't help but smile at the devotion in Jeremiah's eyes. He loved her, completely, she was his queen. Anything she wanted, he would have gone to the ends of the earth to retrieve for her. It was a beautiful, passionate, fast, messy kind of love. I'd never had that.

I looked back at my phone, and sighed. Nope, I wasn't one to fall in love. I certainly wasn't one to stay in love. I was just the boring small town girl, with a southern drawl. I wasn't exceptionally bright, or pretty, I was just… me.

I was brought out of my depressing self mantra by Dawn. She grinned at me, and I couldn't help the infectious smile that spread on my own lips. She grabbed my hand and tugged.

"Come on!" she urged, pulling me off my stool.

"Come dance with me! You've just been sitting there like a bump on a log all night! Have some fun, will ya'?" She pouted at me, her brown eyes wide and endearing. I rolled my eyes, and sighed.

"But our stuff…" I protested weakly, knowing full well I'd give in.

Dawn scoffed, "Violet, all I have is five bucks in cash, a credit card I can shut down at the tap of a finger on my phone, and a lipstick, all of that is easily replaceable." She looked at me pointedly, and I thought about my own purse. Some cheap cosmetics, a few bucks in change, and a debit card with fifteen dollars on it. She was right, all of it was replaceable. In fact, the only thing of real value, was the actual wallet, a 20$ bright teal leather thing I'd had for a few weeks. Biting my lip, and wrinkling my nose, I sighed and rolled my eyes. Dawn squealed with delight, knowing she'd won. I let her drag me onto the floor, and stood there awkwardly for a moment, before she started grinding on me. I laughed, and joined in, poking her in the stomach, we giggled like kids, and I lost myself in the music.

I let my eyes wander the crowd, smiling at the energy. I wasn't much of a dancer, but when I did dance, I lost myself to it, and I loved to watch those around me. My eyes finally wandered up, up…. The ceiling was so high….. And there was a second story. A VIP lounge maybe? It, too, was decked in gold and black, there was some kind of furniture, chairs, or a couch? I couldn't tell, but they where a dark black, like the night. And there was a man. He watched over the club, still as a statue. My breath caught. He was…. Dangerous…. And beautiful. His lips where red, cherry red, and his skin was so pale, unnaturally so, in the light, I could see his teeth glinting, some sort of grill? And his hair was a vibrant green. Nothing about him was my type. Yet for some reason, I felt myself experiencing arousal at the sight of him. His white button down shirt was mostly open, revealing a pale, trim chest, home to many, many tattoos. His hands where wrapped around a cane, or walking stick maybe, his long fingers where adorned with gold rings, his wrist with large gold watches, for a moment, I thought he met my eyes, and even they looked pale, but the moment passed. I pulled Dawn close, and yelled into her ear so she could hear me "WHO'S THAT?" I pointed up at the window.

A look of fear, awe, attraction, and respect crossed her face. "That…" she said, looking back at me, "is the Joker." My eyes widened in fear. I'd heard stories of him, things Dawn had told me about in late night phone calls. He was a mob boss, with no mob. He ran Gotham, and if it wasn't for the fabled Batman, he'd probably rule all of Jersey. I looked back up at him, brow furrowed. He certainly made a frightening image. But something about him was so….

Dawn tugged on my hand, "Don't worry about it!" she said with a smile. "He's here a lot; it's his club after all!" I gaped at her.

"You go to a Mob bosses club? What the hell, Dawn?!" She shrugged, and twirled back into Jer's arms, winking at me. I forced my thoughts away from him, and focused back on the fun.

* * *

It was late or early rather. For once, despite my insomnia, I felt tired. Dawn, finally, consented to taking a cab home. It was pitch black outside, the back of the cab, with a drunken Dawn and tipsy Jeremiah was crowded, and hot. The cab driver, a dark man, with a stern face, said nothing the whole ride back. I trudged up the three flights of stairs, half carrying a giggling Dawn, Jer and his long legs far ahead. Finally we were in the apartment, I stripped Dawn of her heels, and helped her wipe off her make up before handing her over to Jeremiah, I heard their whispers as I cleaned up for bed. She giggled and I heard the bed creak. I retired to her couch, and snuggled into the large pillows Dawn had provided for me.

That night, I dreamt dreams of bright green hair, and cherry red lips. I smelt blood, felt danger, and god it was beautiful. Everything was disjointed, gold and black, green, red, silver, purple. It all swam in my head, disturbing my sleep. The last thing I remember of it was laughter, and cold hands, biting nails, and arousal, warm breath on my neck…


	3. The Dove

A/N-Sorry the last chapter was so short. Don't stress though, this story is over 66K+ words.

WARNING- there will be masturbation in this chapter. Not explicit, but present.

* * *

THURSDAY week 1

J

"Hey boss?" Frost approached cautiously, still feeling uncomfortable in my loft. He was the only one of my men I allowed in my personal space, and the only other person allowed in besides a maid who came twice a week to do my dishes, not that there ever where many, and clean, which was always necessary. God bless Maria, she had put out little gold dishes to hold my stray ammo, while cleaning my guns, I always lost a few bullets, and couldn't be bothered to pick them up. She had probably found cases worth of bullets for me. She also kept my knives tidy, laying them gently in a velvet case, in order from my favorite, to least favorite. Each one meticulously polished, and sharpened. I should give her a bonus soon. I think her daughter has a birthday coming up, or already passed?

"Boss?" Frost called again. I blinked and snapped my head to him. He held out two folders, I was a little disappointed to see they were both thin. I didn't know what they where, but thin, when it came to information, was never good.

I lifted my brow at him, "What's that?" I asked.

"It's the background information on those two girls, sir." He said, holding them out.

I pouted, "They're so thin…." I whined.

Frost gulped, looking a little guilty. "Sorry sir, there wasn't much information on them. They're both pretty quiet girls. Not a lot going on, no known connections of value, no family members of notice _really_ …"

"What do you mean "really"?" I asked, curious.

"Uh, the red head, Dawn, her father is the sheriff of some little bum fuck town in Texas." He replied, shrugging, and holding out the folders again. I took them from his hand, and waved him away. He nodded and quietly left the loft, closing the door silently.

I opened the red heads folder first, I wanted to save my little dove for last, savor the moment. I opened the plain manila folder, and skimmed the information.

Dawn Catherine Mulligan, born and raised just outside Ft Worth Texas, daughter to the sheriff of a town whose population was barley 1,000. An A, B student all through grade school, accepted to Gotham University with a generous scholarship. She'd been in Gotham for a little less than 2 years, her grades in college where good, her GPA relatively high. She lived in a small apartment in one of the less dangerous, but still inexpensive, neighborhoods. She'd been dating the same boy, Jeremiah Dooer, for a year, and worked a steady job as a waitress in a little café on the Upper East Side. No charges, not so much as a speeding ticket on her record. I hummed as I flipped through the pictures of her. Year book pictures, a few from her social media pages, many of them featured her and my Dove. The oldest ones showed the girls as just children, probably not even teenagers yet. Dove had baby fat clinging to her cheeks, and a dimple on the left side of her face. How cute.

I set aside Dawn's folder, and picked up Violet's. This one was just marginally thicker, which made me smile a little.

Violet Xaviera Wardust, 20, birthday March 28th, 1996. Her mother, Lily, and father, Xavier, split when she was two, her father had been married before, and had three children, all girls, from that marriage. Violet was the only child between her mother and father. Her mother had full custody of the girl, however, from the pictures; it appeared her father was still involved in her life. She grew up in a rough neighborhood outside of Dallas, not as rough as Gotham, but still pretty bad. At fourteen her mother remarried, and they moved to an affluent suburban town, little picket fences and soccer leagues galore. She works as a cashier and attends a local college. She makes decent grades, has plans, it looks like, to transfer to east Texas within the year. A teaching degree in her future, I couldn't stifle a small chuckle. I certainly liked the good gir-

Hold on

Just a second….

I laughed, and threw back my head, giggling madly. She had an assault charge, she got into a fight after someone ran a red light and hit her head on, breaking her friend's collar bone and totaling her car. I couldn't help but giggle. How cute, I thought, she'll be easy to persuade. She already has a sinful streak.

I flipped through her pictures, her as a baby, lying in her mother's arms, all wrinkled and new, her as a toddler, wide blue eyes, and dark hair, mouth open in a giggle. A small child, long hair, eyes still blue as the sky, rosy cheeks, an older child, her eyes had changed colors, they where sea green, with specks of gold and blue. Her hair still long, cheeks still chubby, a book in her hands, in the next picture, she was a preteen, dressed in all black, wearing glasses, hair still long, eyes darker now. Her as a young teen, small freckles and breasts beginning to develop. I flip through them, and watch the pictures become more plentiful, as she acquires a phone and is free to upload her photos. A selfie from her first day of high school, a trip to LA with her school choir, ready for a choir concert, dressed for prom, I stop and stare. This picture was maybe two or three years old. She was developed, full breasts, slimmed cheeks, medium length dark hair, her eyes smoked out with makeup, and a nerdy, small looking boy on her arm. I couldn't help a stab of jealously, which I immediately dismissed. After all, this was the only picture with him in it. I kept going, pictures from her graduation, her graduation party, with friends, swimming, with family. It was beautiful. Finally I came to the last picture, it was at the Gotham airport, she had taken a silly picture with Dawn, both of them embracing, tongues out, and eyes crossed. At the end of the file was a DVD. I pulled it out, and set it playing on my computer. It was a compilation of her singing, and her working. She's thirteen, and singing a Disney song, fifteen and grinning in a chorus, eighteen and tearing up at her last concert, eighteen and shaking her principles hand, singing with her nieces, acting in a play, how quaint is she.I can't help the stirring in my loins. She's like a Dove, a perfect, pure Dove, and I can't help the desire to cage her. I want to lock her up, and pluck all her little white feathers. I want to see her exposed, bare, I want to see all of her. I want to watch her unwind. I want to teach her how to fire a gun, how to gut a man. I want to see her covered in blood, and laughing with me. I want to watch her fall into the acid….. and emerge…. Pale, whole, perfect, then I want to watch all her feathers grow back… black as night. I gasp air in through clenched teeth, rubbing my erection through my pants. The image of her, at my side, killing, her face full of joy like a child, innocent, and whole, all mine. My little Dove.

I free my erection, stroking slowly as I watch her sing a song at her graduation party. I work myself up, stroking faster as her song comes to a close. I close my eyes and groan, throwing my head back, her eyes, her hips, her hair, flashing behind my eye lids, I snap my eyes open at a giggle, and look back at the computer. She's wearing a bathing suit, squeals of laughter as she chases her friends around. One of her friends grabs her top, and it slips down, revealing creamy, pale breasts and my breath catches as I cum.

As I clean myself up, I realize that I have to have her. She's so innocent, so pure. I need her, I need to corrupt her. I want her, no, I must have her at my side. My Princess, my little Dove, my partner, my baby, Daddy's little monster...

* * *

I emerge from my rooms a few moments later, cleaned up, hair combed back in place. Frost jumps to his feet, leaving the Rubik's cube he was toying with on the couch.

"Boss?" he asks, eyes hard, emotionless, ready for a command.

"Call Laurence, tell him to order white roses and purple lilies. I want them there by tomorrow at noon, and tell him to be ready for me by then." I order, fidgeting with the cuffs on my shirt. Frost nods, and pulls out his phone.

"Frost." I call lazily, he turns around, expectant.

"Bring the car around, I need to go see the west side, they shorted us on that last order. I want to know why." I pushed thoughts of Violet away, focusing on my work. Blood lust pumped through me at the thought of Jackson lying dead. I didn't like when people didn't do as I asked, especially since I was nice enough to pay him, and let him keep running his whores around the lower red light district, even though it crossed into my territory. Him shorting me on an order was unacceptable. Either he would deliver twice what he owed me, or his prodigy better be smarter than him.

* * *

V

I woke up to next day, and stretched, wiping crust out of my eyes. The sun was high in the sky, and I looked out over the city. Dawn's apartment wasn't in a great part of town by any means, but it provided a stunning view of Gotham. I heard Dawn groaning from her room, the pitter patter of her feet, opening and closing of her bathroom door, and retching. I scoff, and head into the bathroom. She's hung over the toilet, groaning.

"I'll never drink again" she cries out. I fall gently to me knees next to her, and lift her hair out of her face, rubbing her back.

"Come on Dawn, better out than in." I murmur softly. She cries out again, and retches into the toilet, this time it's dry bile. Jer walks into the bathroom, rubbing his eyes, and scratching his bare stomach.

"Can I help?" he asks, pushing his too long brown hair out of his dark eyes.

"An asprin, or advil, um, some water, and make some dry toast, thanks Jer." I smile at him and he nods at me, before sending Dawn a concerned glance. He slips out of the bathroom, and a moment later, I hear the clinking of glasses and dishes, running water, and the crinkle of a bread bag being opened and closed.

Dawn gags a few more times before sitting up, I help her to the sink, and together we slowly wash her face. She swishes water in her mouth, gargles and spits it out. "Thanks..." she mutters, blushing red. I grin at her.

"Looks like someone's still a light weight." I tease. She scoffs at me, and weakly hits me in the arm.

"As if, bitch."

"Slut"

"Whore"

"JER!" he hollers, entering the bathroom with a grin, one hand in a fist, the other holding a glass of cool water. Dawn giggles, and reaches for him. He hugs her, and opens his fist, presenting her with two Advil's. She gratefully takes the pills, and drinks the water.

In the kitchen, we feast on breakfast; Dawn eats a light meal, and drinks lots of water, while Jeremiah and I enjoy pancakes, and bacon. She pouts at us enviously, eyeing our bacon. I laugh at her, and eat my bacon slowly, exaggeratedly rolling my eyes back in my head, and moaning. She glares at me, and sticks out her tongue, returning to her dry toast.

* * *

After breakfast, we sit around the TV, my bedding pushed to one side. The news is on, and Jer is sipping his coffee, Dawn cuddled into his side. The pretty news anchor is talking about the local news, weather and sports.

"And in other news, The Joker is on the loose once again." I snag the remote, and turn it up. A blurry image of him flashes on the screen, his pale skin, red lips, and green hair unmistakable.

"The notorious murderer, and gang leader, escaped from Arkham Asylum for the third time on Wednesday, authorities have just confirmed. Citizens are urged to not approach him, as he is considered armed, and extremely dangerous." Dawn yawns, obviously not impressed by the announcement.

"Don't stress, Vi, Joker doesn't kill anyone innocent, just people who annoy him, or go against him, you know?" I nodded absently, eyes still glued to his picture. Even knowing what I knew now, even knowing he was a murderer, a mob boss, and the unofficial crime king of Gotham, I still couldn't help the undeniable attraction. Just a picture of him sent a jolt of energy through me.

* * *

Later that day, we made our way to the west side, although it was seedy, Dawn insisted that they had the best Thai place in the city. Jer had taken off, going to his job as a janitor in the Wayne Corp building downtown.

As we slid out of the taxi, I saw a purple Lamborghini slid by us. The license plate read "Joker13".

"Dawn" I hissed, pointing at the car. "Is that… is that him?" She looked over and nodded.

"But…" I protested weakly, "he's just driving around in the open? What about the police?" Dawn began to crack up, throwing her head back.

"Vi, hun, the Joker owns most of this city, including the police force. Nothing happens in this city without his say so." Our eyes followed the dark purple car, sleek, and way too fancy for this side of town.

* * *

J

Jackson was stupid. Good riddance. He insisted that he shorted me because of the Bat, saying that _the Bat_ had interrupted his shipment, and what he delivered to me was all he could save. I was fuming of course, and demanded that he give me what I was owed. Being the idiot he was, he insisted he didn't have it. So I cut off his finger, he screamed, and insisted that he didn't have anything for me. I ripped out his toenail, and stuck his foot in coals. He screamed, and yelled for his men. Finally, I was presented with the ammo I was owed, and money as a gift. I slit his throat, and glared at his men, barking at them to present the second in command.

A kid stepped forward, obviously related to Jackson, wisps of hair on his chin, acne dotting his cheeks, but his eyes where hard, and calculating. He presented himself to me, arms behind his back and his face devoid of emotion, as his relative bled out at his feet.

I liked this kid. He was smart.

We struck a new deal, which included nearly ten percent more ammo a month, for the same price on my end. He was smart, and shrewd, during our talks I found out that Jackson was his Uncle, and the new boy, Robert, was nineteen, not even a man, but still smart. Good.

I hated idiots.

* * *

That night I looked over my club, a small part of me sad to see that Violet wasn't there, but then again, her friend, Dawn, only came about once a month according to her credit card bills, so for them to come two nights in a row would be odd.

The news announced my escape again. "Armed and dangerous" that always made me giggle, no matter how many times I heard it. I don't know why, maybe because there was the implication that if I _wasn't_ armed, I wouldn't be dangerous? How absurd, I'm the Joker, Gotham's Clown Prince of crime, I'm _always_ deadly, with or without a weapon.

They club held no interest for me tonight. I left after only a few hours, once it became clear that my Dove wasn't going to show up.

I fell into my bed a sighed, turning my head to stare out the window. The city, my city, was beautiful. I blinked and for a moment, grinned, as I imagined it in ruin, people running in every direction. Fire, havoc, _death_ ….

I turned to the side, facing my wall. I sighed, irritated. Of all my illnesses, insomnia had to be the most annoying. I wanted to sleep; it was nearly 5 AM after all. I wanted to be able to curl up and just, rest.


	4. The Joker

A/N sorry I didn't upload last night you guys, I was spending the day with my friends. Any way, here's another two chapters, thank you so much to anyone who viewed, favorited, and followed! I really appreciate it!

* * *

FRIDAY week 1

J

I woke to knocking.

"Boss. You ready?" It was Frost. I pulled out my phone, noon, I needed to meet with the florist, and deliver the package to my Dove. I groaned, and pulled myself out of bed.

Within 15 minutes, Frost and I were headed to Laurens' shop. The front of the shop was quaint, bright, fresh flowers, and clean colors. No one knew that behind the scene, Laurens' ran my drugs, and surveillance equipment, even bombs upon occasion.

We entered the shop, and the bored looking girl at the front straightened up, her eyes going wide. I squared my shoulders and grinned at her slowly. She gulped and stuck her head behind the curtain leading to the back.

"Uh, Mr. Laurens, we have some customers." She squawked out. God, what an annoying voice. I imagined cutting her vocal cords out for a moment, before I heard Laurens' yell at her from the back.

"Well, ring them up you idiot, what the hell did I hire you for!" he sounded fussy, and I giggled. The girl looked back at me, eyes as wide as saucers. I rolled my eyes, and brushed past her, into the back.

Laurens was sitting at a table, cutting the stems off flowers, and artfully arranging them around a small, nearly invisible microphone.

"You know Laurens; you really ought to train your girls better." I said, stepping forward. Laurens instantly straightened up, and turned towards me, he put on a nice, big, fake, smile for me, his small beady eyes glinting.

"Ah! J, what can I do for you today sir?" he asked, wiping his hands on the apron he wore.

"Do you have the flowers in that I ordered?"

"Yes sir!" he exclaimed, skittering past me, to reach into a deep freezer. He pulled out a small bundle of flowers, white roses, and purple lilies with light pink running along the petals.

"Is this what you wanted, sir?" he asked expectantly. I nodded, staring at them.

"Make me something… pretty, and fit for a queen. With my colors…" I ordered. Laurens nodded.

"And the, uh, extras, sir?" he asked, grinning.

I smirked at him, smart man.

"A camera, microphone, and a small vile of gas." I ordered. He scurried about, presenting me with a tiny camera and mic, which would fit nicely into one of the darker flower buds, concealing it from view.

"What kind of gas sir? Deadly?"

"NO!" I barked, he froze. Eyes wide, a small look of fear.

"No." I said again, more calmly. "Something to make someone tired. Nothing lasting, or noticeable. I want them to think they took a nap of their own accord. Understand?" I glared at him hard. He nodded, and set to work.

Within minutes, he presented me with a bouquet, complete with a vase and water. White roses and dark purple lilies mingled with small cool toned flowers of all varieties. I nodded in satisfaction.

"Would you like to include a card, sir?" Laurens asked. I nodded, and he handed me a thick manila card.

"To My Dove. – J" I handed it back to him, and he added it to the center of the bouquet. I looked it over once more, and nodded at Frost. He picked up the bouquet, and I handed Laurens five crisp 100$ bills.

"A pleasure doing business with you, J" Laurens said, smiling at me. I nodded at him, and with a flourish of my coat, I exited his shop.

* * *

V

Dawn was at work, for at least another four hours. I was too scared to explore Gotham without her, so I stayed holed up in her apartment, watching TV, and reading a book.

There was a knock at the door. I approached cautiously, not expecting anyone. I looked through the peep hole. A boy, probably a year or two younger than me, stood on the other side, fiddling with a vase of flowers. There was some sort of logo on his plain black polo. I opened the door, a crack, expecting that it was from Jeremiah.

"Yes?" I asked cautiously.

"Uh, hi, delivery for, Dove?" he replied, squinting at his phone. I raised an eyebrow. Maybe that was Jeremiah's nick name for Dawn?

"Uh, Dove? Does it just say Dove?" I asked.

"No…" his voice cracked a little. I almost smiled but bit my lip, waiting.

"Uh it says Dawn? Dawn Mulligan." I shrugged and nodded, opening the door wider.

"Um, do I need to sign or anything?" I asked, he nodded, and handed me a metal clip board. There was a lot of legal chatter on it, which I didn't read. I just signed the paper, and took the vase.

The flowers where beautiful, stunning really. I closed the door after me, and set them on the kitchen counter, arranging them artfully. I leaned forward, and pulled out the card.

"To My Dove-J" I smiled, I was so happy for Dawn, she was such a lucky girl. Jer was so good to her. I leaned forward again, burying my nose in the flowers, inhaling their crisp, clean aroma.

Suddenly, I began to yawn. Gosh, I was tired. I guess sleeping on a couch was catching up to me. I walked back to the couch, and collapsed. The couch was so warm, the apartment so quiet…. I rested.

* * *

J

Silly Dove, I thought, she didn't even put the chain back on the door. Frost picked the lock for me, although really, I could have done it myself, and we entered Dawn Mulligan's apartment. It was clean, small, and cozy. There was one center room that blended from kitchen to dining room, to living room, and down a short hall, I could see into a bedroom, and a darkened bathroom. And there, on the couch, was my Dove. She was deeply asleep, courtesy of the flowers. Her eyes closed, her hair splayed out on a pure white pillow, her pale skin glowing, her cheeks flushed. My breath caught in my throat. How beautiful….

In her hand was her phone, loosely gripped. Frost moved forward, silently, and extracted the phone from her hand. I nearly snarled. It was such a simple, ugly thing. My Princess should only have the finest of everything…

Frost pulled out the laptop from the bag slung over his shoulder, and moved over to the kitchen counter with it. I kneeled down by the couch, reaching out a shaking hand. I stroked her cheek, and she sighed, smiling slightly, and leaning into my caress. My throat felt tight. How odd. How lovely. I traced her lips with my finger, wanting so badly to just ravish her….

Over at the counter, Frost was implanting a bug into my Doves phone. It would allow me to track her every move, and see everything she did on her phone, listen in on conversations. Everything a bachelor, such as me, needed to know in order to "accidentally" run into her.

I stayed by her, staring, and gently touching here and there, eventually Frost handed me back the phone. Everything was done. I, regretfully, slipped the cell back into her hand. I kissed her gently on the forehead, and we slipped out of the apartment.

* * *

V

I awoke a few hours later, to my phone ringing. Groggily, I lifted it to my face and looked at the screen. Dawn was calling. I yawned and answered, "Hello?"

"Hey! Wanna go to the club tonight?" she asked, I heard chatter, and the clinking of plates in the back ground, obviously, she was still at work.

"What? Again?" I asked, thinking about her hang over last time. Dawn giggled on the other line.

"Yes, again, silly. Jer has work early in the morning, so he's going back to his place for the night. This will give us some girl time, you know? Just hang out?" She sounded excited, cheerful, reluctantly, I agreed, she told me she'd be home in about an hour and that we'd leave from there, and we hung up.

Stretching, I moved from the couch and got ready for the night.

* * *

J

I smiled as I put my phone back in my pocket. I could hear Frost in the front lounge area, snoring. He must be exhausted. I would feel sorry for him, but he knew what he was getting into when he took this job, so any sympathy was short lived.

"FROST!" I barked, hearing his soft snoring abruptly stop, a moment later, the door opened, he was fully composed. I was stretched out on my couch, doing some filing on my computer, checking and rechecking expenses and inventory.

"Boss?" He asked.

"Get ready, we're going to the club tonight. The Girl will be there." I said, snapping my lap top shut. I swished past Frost into my bedroom, and threw open my closet. I heard him leave the room, and knew he was headed to his own loft, two floors down from mine.

* * *

V

The club was packed, the crowd was deafeningly loud. Lights shined in all corners, and Dawn grinned at me grabbing my hand to lead me on the dance floor.

The music moved through me, and instead of my anxiety from before, I allowed myself to relax. The music thumped, and I felt my body swaying, grinding against a handsome Gotham boy, Dawn somewhere to my right. His eyes where dark, and I could hardly see his face, but it didn't matter. Not when the music was this loud and the heat was clouding my vision.

After two songs, I moved away from the crowd, making my way to a booth near the back, drink in hand. Dawn stayed on the dance floor and I kept a vigilant eye on her. I was so focused on her, making sure she was safe, that some guy wasn't getting too handsy, I didn't notice when two men approached my booth. One slid in beside me, while the other pulled the gold beaded curtains closed around us. I looked at them, angry for a moment, before I saw the man beside me.

His hair was green.

His lips red

Skin white

And his eyes…

I'd never seen such blue eyes before. He grinned at me, and my breath caught.

The Joker


	5. Letting it slip

A/N just a reminder, POV switches a lot. Sorry not sorry guys.

and obviously I only own the OC's, duh.

* * *

J

"Hey there, doll face." I said, winking at the girl beside me. She blinked at me dumbly, before swallowing, and moving minutely away.

"Um…. Hi?" she murmured her cheeks where a dark red, fear, panic, and intrigue lined her beautiful face. I smiled a dark smile, and scooted closer.

"I've never seen you around these parts before, you new to Gotham?" I asked innocently.

"Uh, no, I mean yes, but no, um…. You…. You're the Joker?" She asked, blushing, she was obviously scared but at the same time, I could almost smell her curiosity.

I threw my head back and laughed, my signature, blood curling laugh. I saw her move away minutely, and I slid closer, sliding an arm around her to keep her by me. "That's right sugar… And you are?" I asked innocently, sliding my hand up and down her shoulder. She gulped again.

"Uh…no one?" she stuttered

I laughed again. "No one, huh? Well hi no one, I've seen you in here twice this week. You know this is my club right?" She nodded, and I saw her eyes try to scan the dance floor. Her friend was occupied, of course, and paid no heed.

"Well," I murmured, moving my lips close to her ear. "I like to know my nobodies…" She gulped again, and I felt goose bumps form on her arms.

"V-Violet…" She gasped out, trying to twist out of my arm. I grasped her tighter.

"Violet…. I like it. Well Violet, how about you come to my lounge, hm? We have a few drinks…" I leaned in close, to whisper into her ear, my lips brushing the shell "Maybe share a few laughs?" She gasped again, and I felt her shudder. Her thighs squeezed together, and I felt an electric shock work its way down my spine.

"I- I don't know about…" she turned her head to look at me. My eyes where wide. Hers where just as wide. Our lips so close…. I could smell her breath, strawberry and liquor from her fruity drink. I licked my teeth, and she gulped.

* * *

V

"Ok…" I muttered.

Wait

What

Ok? What the fuck! No not ok? What the hell was wrong with me! I meant to say no, to leave, slide out of the booth, and go back to Dawn's. I wanted to say no, and get on a plane and go straight home…

But then I turned my head. And his eyes, his blue, icy eyes met mine. They where wide, like a child, red at the edges, as if he'd been crying. His red lips slightly parted, from this close… I could see scars under his eyes, and a small J under his left eye, damaged stamped across his forehead. Arousal ran through me, I know I should have shuddered in disgust, or fear, but I didn't. I felt hypnotized, lost in him, like he'd reached into my soul, and had my very being in his hands.

He smiled at me, not a cold smile, but a predatory one, a smug one. He grabbed my hand and I was surprised at the feel of his skin. It was dry, but smooth, like a polished rock or a piece of chalk, and cold, his rings where just a degree or two cooler than his skin.

We slid out of the booth, and I couldn't take my eyes off him. Walking cane in one hand, my hand in the other, we, and his guard, made our way around the crowd. As we walked, I had a nice view of his….. back side. He was wearing a maroon shirt, which pulled taunt across his trim chest. The top 3 buttons where undone, exposing a smooth chest, covered in tattoos and a few scars. His pants where a tight, black well worn pair of jeans, which showcased his backside, his legs where long, holding him above me by almost a foot.

We made our way up a set of stairs, decked in black and gold, painted with playing cards, the Joker card being particularly prominent. The lounge we entered was beautiful. As I thought before, the furniture was black, and leather. The window was transparent, and provided a perfect view of the dance floor and bar. The music, a deafening thump down stairs, was a muffled thrum up here. He spread his hands.

"Welcome… Violet." He said, grinning. I couldn't help my own shy grin. He winked at the guard.

"Frost, a drink for the lady and I." He said, motioning for me to take a seat. I sat gingerly, and watched the tall man, Frost, head toward the bar.

"Ma'am?" he asked, his voice was deep, with a distinctly northern accent.

"Yes sir?" I asked my southern drawl thick enough that I blushed. Frost raised an eyebrow at me, and looked uncomfortable for a moment. He coughed, and his eyes flicked from the Joker, back to me.

"Uh… What would you like to drink?" He asked. I blinked dumbly. The truth was I didn't really drink, so I was unsure what to ask for.

"Um….well…" I looked back at the Joker, his head tilted, analyzing me.

"I, uh, I'm kind of underage- I mean, I don't really drink…" I blushed and looked down, I _did_ drink, but it was always something weak and fruity, if only because I didn't know much about drinking or ordering alcohol.

I heard the Joker let out a small chuckle. "Two glasses of the Ace of Spades, Frost." Frost nodded, and obediently pulled down two champagne flutes. I looked back at the Joker, twisting my fingers together. He was staring at me, his expression unreadable. Frost made his way out from behind the bar, a bucket of ice, with the bottle of champagne in it, and two empty flutes in one hand. He set down the bucket, and gracefully poured one glass, then the other, looking at the Joker, who cast his eyes toward me. Frost handed me a glass first, and I muttered a shy "thank you". Frost moved away after presenting the other glass to the Joker. Joker waved his hand, dismissing Frost. The door to the loft closed with a soft click. I looked back at Joker, nervous, and took a small sip. My eyes lit up, as I looked at the glass, it was good, very good.

"Do you like it?" he asked, his own glass held loosely. I met his eye hesitantly.

"Yes… thank you." He smirked at me, and stretched again.

"So, Violet… Like I said down stairs, I haven't seen you in Gotham before. Why is that?"

"Um, well, to be honest, because I've never been here before this week." His brow bone (for he had no eyebrows) rose, and he hummed, prompting me on. I couldn't stop staring at his blue eyes, or his red lips. I wondered if he was wearing lipstick, or if they were like that for the same reason his face was so white….

"Oh um, yeah. My uh, my friend is going to school nearby. I'm just visiting, I'll be gone by next Monday…" I trailed off, as his face changed, from intrigue, to anger. I gulped, worried I'd made him angry. As soon as he realized I'd stopped talking, his face smoothed, and a small smile replaced the snarl.

"So…" he drew air in, "what's a nice girl from Texas doing going to school in Gotham, hm?"

My brow furrowed. "I…. I never said we were from Texas…." His face fell for a moment, before his grin was back in place.

"Well, your accent, it's thick, I assumed south, and Texas is about as south as it gets, sooo…" He smiled at me, red lips stretched wide. I took a nervous sip of my drink and nodded. I knew he was lying, I just didn't know why, or why he knew where Dawn and I were from.

"Um, well, yeah, I'm from Texas, and um… I don't know. I'm here because of her, but you'd have to ask her why she moved here. I mean…" I cast a small smirk at him, "It's not exactly a crime free city." He broke into loud, boisterous laughs, and soon enough, I was giggling with him, relaxing more and more. So what if he knew who I was? What's he gunna do? Kill me? So what?

"No…" I gasped out "No, actually, to be honest, I'm pretty sure her moving here has something to do with the crime." He cocked his head at me, confused.

"Well, see, we grew up in pretty safe areas, no gangs, mobs, nothing like that. Nothing dangerous happened in our towns, hell the last murder my home town had was two high kids getting in a fight, fifteen years ago. Nothing happens, which I've come to be grateful for, but my friend…." I cast my eyes out the window over the dance floor. I saw Dawn in a moment, red hair like a flame among the black, and blonde, of everyone else.

"She's always longed for danger. She likes the rush, or maybe she just likes driving her dad crazy, scaring the poor man half to death every time she doesn't answer the phone." I looked back at Joker, and he was staring at me.

"And you?" he asked, his voice a growl. He sat forward, eyes drawing me in. "Do you… like danger?" My mouth was dry. He held out his hand to me, and I grabbed it, moving from my chair, to a spot by him on the couch. I set my glass to the side, and he set his down by mine, and pulled me close, looking in my eyes.

"I… I think I must, if I'm sitting here…" I whisper. I feel the heat from him, what little his body puts out. He lifts his hand to his mouth, the ink smile covering his real one. I grin at him, and we begin to laugh in tandem.

"So… a week huh?" he asks, his face so close, I can smell his breath, liquor from the champagne, and something sweet, like that smell that hair color puts out, the sweet, bubblegum one, to cover the chemicals. I gulp, and nod, my eyes moving from his striking blue ones, to his lips. I can see now, that it's not lipstick, his lips are just that red. I wonder why. He grins. His hand moves into my hair, pushing it out of my face.

"Stay with me tonight?" he asks, his voice a whisper. I wonder ideally, if the metal in his mouth is smooth. I gulp.

"I… My friend…" I protest weakly. I feel myself collapsing. I feel myself falling into him. He strokes a finger across my lower lip.

"One night?" he whispers, his lips so close. So warm, so…. Sweet.

We're kissing. His hand grips my hair, his other arm around my waist, pulling me close. A small sound escapes me, and I can't tell if it's in protest, or if it's a plea for more. My mouth is still closed, and I can feel his tongue, probing for entrance. But I'm not ready, I can't…

The hand in my hair grabs harshly, and pulls back a little, tugging. His teeth bite my bottom lip so hard, I taste blood. The hand at my waist is gripping so hard, I'm sure there'll be bruises later. I gasp, and he uses the opportunity to thrust his tongue in my mouth. I give in, my hands sliding up to his hair. I feel a little of the gel he uses to keep it back, but under the thin layer of gel, his hair is odd feeling. Dry, but oily, and soft. It reminds me of the summer I bleached my hair, the feeling it would get, after I went a day or two without washing it. I don't care, for some reason, even though usually I do, I wouldn't care if his hair felt like sticking my hands into an oil drum, as long as it's him. I moan, and grab him harder, pulling him closer. My arms are wrapped around his back, his tongue in my mouth, and fighting him, he relents. My tongue is in his mouth. I was right; the metal is smooth, and cool. His lips are dry, but smooth. His tongue is rough. His mouth is-

Ow! I pull back slightly, and he laughs. Even though I can feel the blood on my tongue from where be bit me, I can't help but laugh with him. His left hand is sneaking up my back, caressing the skin under my shirt. His right hand is in my hair, and he pulls my head so far back, I cry out in pain. He groans, and buries his face in my neck. I gasp, and hold onto his shoulders. I feel him biting, licking, sucking, god, and then he's kissing, gentle, like a lover then biting again, like he owns me. The idea sends a jolt of arousal through my blood, and I wrap my legs around his hips straddling him. I pull back, and look him in the eye. He's smiling, and licking his teeth, eyeing my cleavage hungrily. I'm tempted to let him have me here, now, and forever. But then I look just over his shoulder. The dance floor.

Dawn

The Joker

The Club

My home

My school

My parents

My job

My life.

I push off of him, and gasp. My hand comes up to my neck, and I stare at him wide eyed. He looks confused, and a little irritated, I can see that his pants are becoming a little tight, and it makes everything even more real.

"I, I can't be here…." I murmur, staring at him. I rush to the door. As I brush past Frost, who had been standing outside, I hear Joker yell. And what he says makes my blood run cold.

I run down the stairs, and dive bravely into the crowd. I find Dawn quickly, thank God. Grabbing her hand, I lead us off the dance floor.

"Violet? What's wrong?" she asks, grabbing my right wrist, which is over my hickey.

"Oh my GOD!" Dawn's ecstatic now, pointing at my neck.

"Is, is that a fucking hickey? OH MY GOD WHO?" She's almost exploding with excitement. I cast my eyes around the room, but I don't see his pale skin or green hair.

"We have to go." I say, Dawn instantly subdues, and begins to look around the club as well, even though she has no idea who she's looking for. She nods, and grabs my hand, leading me out the door. I look back up at the loft windows one more time. He's standing there, I can't make out his expression, but I can almost feel that his eyes are on me, following me through the crowd.

* * *

J

I went too fast. Pushed too hard. I feel anger in my blood, but also hope. She wanted it. I felt how her body responded. She wanted me.

But I also let too much slip. As she ran away, I couldn't help the name that slipped through my lips. "WAIT! DOVE!" I cried after her.

Maybe she didn't hear. I try to convince myself, and almost scoff. That and the Texas slip, FUCK! Now she knows. She knows…. Maybe….

I begin to think, maybe…. Instead of letting the Dove come back to the nest…. I wonder… Perhaps I ought to cage her. My own little Dove.

I can almost see Harley glaring at me when this idea crosses my mind. No. I don't need to force her. I didn't force Harley. She wanted it, I just released the madness. And I can do the same with Violet.

"FROST!" I scream. He's there in a moment, I can tell he's worried, on edge, afraid I'll take my anger out on him. I'm tempted to, to just slit his throat, and stab him to death, screaming out my frustrations. But then I remember how difficult it would be to replace him, and how oddly fond of him I am.

"Get the car." I order, quieter this time.

"Where to boss?" he asks, straightening his jacket. I cast my eyes back over the dance floor.

Where am I going to go? Her friend's house? My loft? I look around for a moment, lost.

"I don't know yet." I admit. He nods at me, and obediently leaves.

* * *

V

The moment I get home, I throw out the flowers. I take them to the dumpster behind Dawn's apartment building, and smash the vase into a million pieces. Dawn follows me, and watches from afar, as I destroy the flowers.

When the flowers are nothing but pulp, and glass sprinkles the asphalt like glitter, I push past Dawn, wiping tears from my eyes. I don't know why I'm crying. Fear? Disappointment? Desire? I don't know, and I don't want to think about it. I look at Dawn, and begin to sob.

"I'm sorry, Dawn, I'm so sorry. I didn't know, I swear, I didn't..." I ramble as I make my way back into her apartment. My mascara has run down my face, the lipstick on my swollen lips is rubbed all over my chin. I know I look terrible. I know I must look a mess, but Dawn, god bless her, she just moves to the bathroom. A moment later, she returns with a damp wash cloth, and begins to gently cleanse my face, as I continue to sob and apologize.

"Violet, honey, what's going on? What are those flowers? Who did this?" she's worried, scared, and a little angry. She's always been just as protective of me as I am of her after all. At that thought, I break into another round of sobs.

"He- He knows w-who I a-am. I I don't know how. Dawn he knows!" I begin to sob again, grabbing her arms, and leaning into her chest. She strokes my hair and shushes me. Eventually I calm down enough to speak. Tears are still leaking from my eyes as I blow my nose on the tissue she offers, and begin the story. I tell her everything, the flowers, the mysterious man with green hair, the loft, the kissing. Dove.

At the end of it, Dawns face is both disbelieving, and awed. "He knows who you are?" She asks in a hushed voice. I let out another broken sob, and nod.

"Wh- what if he comes after you? Oh god, Dawn, I'm so sorry-" She cuts me off

"Violet, stop, you couldn't have known, I couldn't have known. I don't know how they figured it out, but were going to fix it, ok?"

"How?!" I cry out in desperation, thinking about all he must know. Dawn looks at me for a moment, lost.

"I- I don't know yet, but well figure it out, ok?" I stare at her, and bite my lip to stop from apologizing again. I know it won't help. He knows, he can kill, rape, maim, and torture us any time he likes as long as we're in the city. I can't save Dawn from this one.


	6. Finally

A/N hey ya'll. I've had almost 200 hits on this story! That's so awesome thank ya'll so much! Please, feel free to drop a review/comment, even if it's to say that you hate OOC or OC. Thank all of you so much! For those of ya'll who enjoy this story, there will be some smut in this chapter. I repeat, _**SMUT HERE**_

* * *

Ya'll know the drill. POV changes, and I don't own anything, duh.

J-Joker/Jason

V-Violet

D-Dawn

F-Frost

exc.

* * *

J

It's amazing to me, that even after all these years; Ace has never been shut down. I sit on the ledge overlooking the chemical vats, my feet hanging off the ledge. I stare at the waste below me. So much of my history, and my future, reside in these vats.

The birth of my creator.

The birth of his creation.

And the death of my creation.

My angel.

My Harley.

I think if I had the ability to cry, I would. But I don't, instead I stare, my eyes glazed over. I see her falling and landing, and not coming back up. I see the fight between my ex-mentor and me. I feel the chemicals burning my skin. I hear my screams, I see myself reaching for him. He doesn't help. He never did. Not when the first Joker took me. Not when he tortured me for days. Not when he hurt me so bad I forgot my own name. Not when I left him, in an effort to gain his attention. That's all I ever wanted.

I wanted Bruce to care. I wanted him to care about him. But he never did. Not like he did about Dick. No, I wasn't the first Robin, hell; I won't even be the last one. Bruce just uses and uses and uses, never stopping to think about the damage he does to others.

Everyone thought I was mad. And, to be fair, being mad is much easier than being a man. But I remembered being Jason. I remembered worrying about others, I remembered wanting to protect people. I remembered wanting to please Batsy. I'm not mad. A mad man doesn't feel guilt, or anger like this. He doesn't want to cry at night, remembering the life that almost was. Mad men don't dream of normal. Of kids, and picket fences, mortgages, and car payments. Mad men don't imagine futures where they teach their children how to spell, and count, and teach their sons to fish. But I _did_ , because I'm not mad. I never wanted to be the Joker, I never wanted to be Red Hood, hell, I don't think, looking back, I ever even wanted to be Robin.

I just wanted to be Jason. But Jason didn't have a shot in life. Jason was going to die young, and fast, and bloody, so I took the first option I could find. Bruce, and his charming words, and fatherly demeanor, all of it hiding his manipulation, his methods of utter control, the way he owned me for years. But now I'm the Joker, and there's no use wishing for what may have been. I'm a monster now, not exactly by my own design.

I thought about her again. Why was she in my head? She was just some girl, hell, I don't even know her. All I have are some photos, and the paper of her life. I just don't get it. What is she to me?

She's not Harley. Harley would have been crazier than me. She would have been a spur; together we would have spiraled down hard and fast.

She's not the picket fence wife I imagined in my youth. She _can't be_ if she wants me when I look like _this_ , when I am what I am. I saw the lust in her eyes, despite my appearance.

So what is she to me? What do I want from her?

I lie back, the metal grate cool on my back, I stare up at the ceiling, by now nothing but rusted beams. I think about her. The way her mouth felt against mine. She was whole, untainted. I can't help but wonder if she's had any lovers, and who they might be. Did she love them? Was her first time perfect? I think back to my own.

I was 19; there was a girl in the city. Some red head. Claire? Claudia? Crystal? I don't remember. I just remember her lips, and her body. She was just some girl, and, at that time, I was just some boy. She didn't know who I was, and I didn't know who she was, but when I saw her at the café across the street, I felt my heart flutter. It was fast and dirty, in some alley. God, how pathetic. But, I'm proud to say, considering it was my first time and all, that we both got there. I never saw her again.

I decide, finally, as I see the red sun beginning to peak through the high windows, that I'll simply visit her, and explain. I don't enjoy being a man, but for her….. I believe I can put away the madness….

* * *

SATURDAY week 1

V

Dawn and I fell asleep on the couch, curled up together. I wake up the next morning to a knocking on the door. Dawn wakes with a start when I attempt to extract myself. She grabs my arm, and shakes her head. I shrug her off, and go to the door. Gulping in air, I open it.

There at my feet, is a small bouquet of white and purple roses. I pick them up. Within the wrapping, is a card. I extract it, and close the door, laying the roses on the counter.

"Gee... He certainly has a specific color scheme" Dawn joked, trying to lighten the mood. I look at her and roll my eyes. I go to open the letter, and she grabs my wrist.

"WHOA! Easy there tiger! This is the Joker were talking about! Have some caution, will ya?" she looked at me as if I was mad, and again, I was reminded of my humble, small town background. I blush and nod. Cautiously, we make our way out onto the patio. Dawn starts by throwing small pebbles from her fish tank at it. I look at her confused.

"Er… Dawn, why are you-?"

"Bombs, Really small bombs. If their weight or motion detected….. I'd rather they went off on my patio." She explains, and I have a feeling the Joker has done that before.

I nod at her, shrug. I don't ask any questions as she splits the letter open with a knife and pair of tongs holding at arm's length. Then, using another pair of tongs, she opens the card slowly.

There's no bomb.

No powder

Nothing.

Just a plain card, with simple, black writing. I pick it up from the patio, and read it.

" _I'm sorry, Dove. I'm no danger to you or yours.-J_ " Underneath it, he's written a time, and that Frost will be there 20 till. I gulp and look at Dawn, holding it out. She reads it, her eyes going wide.

I move into the house, and fix myself a cup of tea, staring, well glaring, at the flowers. Dawn comes in and closes her patio door. "Fuck… Vi, you can't, I mean, you're not gunna…." She holds out the card, and stares at me helplessly.

"A-are you?" she asks, voice soft. I look down into my tea.

"I-…. I don't see any way around it Dawn…." I see her open her mouth, and turn my back sharply.

"Look, Dawn, he knows where you live, he knows where we're from, which means he probably knows where our parents live. Our families. What about my nieces, my sisters?" I look at her with sad eyes, imploring her to understand. Dawn's mouth opens and closes. Tears well in her eyes, and she rushes to me. I barely have time to set down my mug, when she embraces me. I feel her warm tears on my neck and she hugs me so hard that drawing breath is hard. I hold her back, and I know why she's crying.

The card may say he means me no harm, but his track record disagrees. The blood on his hands could fill an Olympic swimming pool twice over. We both know this. We both know that I may leave tonight, and never see Dawn again.

She waits patiently while I shower. She assists me with my makeup, her brow furrowed in worry and anger. My hair is artfully curled, and I'm dressed in a black dress, and black boots. Twenty minutes before the time on the card, I stand in front of Dawn's apartment building. There's a car waiting on the road, and Frost gets out, re-buttoning his jacket as he makes his way over to the passenger seat. He opens the back passenger door, and waits patiently. Dawn hugs me hard.

"Violet…" she starts, I smile at her.

"I know Dawn, I love you too." She gulps, and stares at me.

"Any last wishes?" she jokes with sad eyes. I give her a wistful smile again.

"Cremated, not buried." I grin at her. I'm scared, but also anxiously excited. I know she believes I'm going to my death, but somehow…. I believe him. I believe he doesn't want to hurt me. I don't know why, perhaps I'm trying to convince myself in order to hold the fear at bay. She hugs me once more, and I move from the steps of her building, towards the sleek black car.

"Ms. Wardust" Frost nods at me.

"Mr. Frost" I reply stonily, slipping into the car. The back seat is spacious, the leather smooth, and of high quality, a pitch black, nearly as dark as my dress. I look out the tinted windows at the city as we drive. High rises, streets, people bustling about. The ride is quiet, the closer I get, the more my anxiety rises.

"Frost..." I finally ask. His blue eyes meet my own sea green ones in the rear view mirror.

"Yes, Ms. Wardust?" He asks. His voice has no emotion, his eyes held on the road.

"Am- I mean…." I want to ask if I'm going to die tonight, but I chicken out.

"Er, how long have you worked for him? The Joker, I mean."

His eyes meet mine in the mirror, surprised. "Almost 8 Years Ma'am." He replies. I bite my lip again.

"Is this, I mean…. Where are we going?" again, not what I wanted to ask.

"J's loft." Frost replies.

"Frost, am…. Should I be worried?" I finally ask. My heart is in my throat. He's quiet for a long time.

"I, I don't know ma'am." He finally says. I see his brow furrowed, just the tiniest bit. I feel my heart beating wildly, fear in my veins.

It's quiet for a long time before we finally turn off the main road into a parking garage.

"Frost." I say, as he pulls in.

"Yes ma'am?" he asks.

"Could I have prevented this?"

He pauses, and we pull into a parking spot. "No ma'am…. I don't think so."

"Is this… am I the first?" Frost turns around and looks at me.

"No. There was another he got like this about. A doctor."

"Is…is she?"

"… yes ma'am. I don't know the whole story."

I gulp and take a deep breath to steady myself. I try to convince myself that no one goes through this much trouble just for murder. But I know that's the biggest lie this side of the Mississippi. He comes around, and opens my door, offering a hand. I slip out smoothly, and clear my throat, shoulders thrown back, head up. Frost looks at me again. I know he won't help me. He has a job. I suppose killing innocent people is part of that job. But I can tell it makes him uncomfortable. I have nothing to do with this world, yet here I am, walking right into the lion's den.

* * *

The ride up to the top in the elevator is quiet. We pass the 10th floor, the 15th, 20th. Finally, we stop at the top, the 23rd floor. The doors open to a small lobby area. There are a few leather couches, a half finished Rubik's cube, and a coaster sits on a side table. The doors are black and gold, the glass on them black, and nearly opaque. I swallow, and let out the breath I was holding. Frost walks ahead of me, and respectfully holds open the door. I expect him to enter with me, so I'm surprised when he instead closes the door behind me. I look behind me, to see his shadow move to the couch. I hear him sigh, and hear the click of plastic. I almost laugh. He's sitting out there; playing with a Rubik's cube, while I'm in here with a psychotic serial killer. It's a pretty funny thought.

I look back out at the room I'm in. The Joker is standing in front of a small table. There are two flutes of champagne on the small, white cloth covered table. A bottle of champagne sits on ice. Joker moves forward and I lift my chin a little more, clenching my fists to stop the shaking.

"May I take your purse?" he asks, his voice more even then I've ever heard. I blink at him, confused, before obediently handing over my purse. He puts it to the side, on a counter. He motions to the table, and pulls out a chair for me. I sit, and he pushes my seat in. He moves behind me, and I twitch, a little confused.

A moment later, he reemerges on my left, with a silver platter in both hands. He sets the first one in front of me; the other in front of what I assume is his seat. He removes the covers with a flourish, and I'm surprised to see a meal. It's fish, with a few lemon twists, laying on a bed of wild rice. He takes a seat across from me, and the candle throws shadows across his face, his jaw line and his cheekbones becoming prominent. I can't help the jolt of attraction that runs through me. He clears his throat, and motions for me to eat.

I pick up my fork, and have the wild thought of the food being poisoned or drugged. I take a small bite of rice, and am pleasantly surprised at the flavor. It's very good. He picks up his fork as well, and takes a small bite. "So..." he begins, taking a small sip of his drink. I copy him, knowing I need something to quench my dry throat.

"So." I repeat, smirking at him. "Do you often treat your stalking victims to candle lit dinners?" He looks shocked for a moment, before grinning wickedly.

"Well, considering you're my first, I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know when I get another one."

"Oh?" I ask, a little surprised. "Does that mean I'll be alive when there's another one?" He looks just as shocked as me for a moment.

"Er, Violet, Dove…." I stiffen at that name, and my face goes hard. He clears his throat. "I'm, I'm not here to kill you."

"What?" I ask, incredulous.

"I, I don't want you dead, at all. The opposite actually." His eyes are wide, earnest.

"You mean…. Ok. Ok, but, I don't understand? You know things about me? You know where I'm from, where my friend lives, what else do you know?" My voice has risen in pitch, a small amount of panic.

He furrows his brow, and looks down, a bit guilty. "Dove… I know everything. I…. I saw you, that first night at my club. I don't know why my eyes landed on you, but when they did…" He trails off, bright blue eyes looking at me. I'm hypnotized again. The food grows cold between us.

* * *

J

I tell her everything. Ok, not everything, but a lot of things. I tell her about seeing her at the club, about having Frost take her and her friends IDs, so that I could run searches on them. I tell her about the files, and even show them to her. She looks panicked, but she hasn't tried to run, so I take it as a good sign.

She flips to the back of the file, and pulls out the DVD. "What… what's this?" she asks. I bite my bottom lip. Coughing, I take the DVD from her, and grab her hand, leading her from the table, into my living room area. I pull one of my laptops, my personal one, hey, even villains like cat videos, open and slip in the DVD. She gasps as she watches herself, 13 years old, acne, braces, and frizzy hair, step forward, and begin to sing.

"What, how, I don't even have this! How'd you get this?" She demands, irritated, and, I think a bit embarrassed. I shrug.

"I don't know actually. I just told Frost to get everything he could, and he did." She looks at me again, incredulous. We're sitting so close. I can feel the heat from her body radiating off her. Hesitantly, I slid my hand up her thigh.

"I- Violet, I'm not going to hurt you." I whisper, my left hand sliding up her thigh, my right hand coming up to curl around her neck.

"I believe you…" She breathes out, goose bumps cover her arms, and I smile about to lean forward to kiss her.

"But what about my family?" she asks. I'm taken aback, and pull back slightly. My hand, which had been about to graze the edge of her panties, so high on her thigh I could feel the heat radiating off her most intimate area, slides back down to her knee, and I lean back to look her in the eye.

"Your… family?" the word is foreign on my tongue. I haven't had a family in so long. I haven't had to, or let myself, care about anyone but myself in so long that I sometimes forget that normal people don't just live for themselves.

"I- I'm not going to hurt them. I swear…" I place my forehead against hers, holding her face in place. Our eyes meet, we're close. So close again, yet a chasm in the form of her anxiety for her families safety, keeps us far apart.

"I swear, Violet, my Dove, I will never hurt those you love." Her eyes close and I feel her body relax, tension thawing away from her. I can tell… she believes me. How odd. Hell, most would even say, how _stupid_. We're so close finally… so…

Her lips are on mine, and I pull her close. God every time I'm near her, I forget to act mad, I forget what I am. I forget what that acid did to me, I forgot what the old Joker did to me, I forget what Bruce did to me. God her lips are soft, full, and she tastes so sweet, so pure. I want her. I feel my heart, long cold and dead, stir in my chest.

* * *

V

What the _fuck_? Every time I get near him… I forget all of it. I forget my friends, I forget my life in Texas, I forget he's a murderer. I forget everything and I never want to remember it. I just want him. I want his body on mine. I want him in me. I want his lips on my skin. I want all of him.

I whimper as he stands, his lips parting from mine. He leans over, and kisses me again, taking my hand to lift me to my feet. As soon as I stand, he sweeps me off my feet, literally. We're kissing again, and he's blindly making his way somewhere, I don't know where, but god I hope it's a bed.

It _is_ a bed, I land softly on it, and it's large, so big that I feel as if I'm drowning in satin. The room is shadowed, city lights and the pale moonlight bathing in in a soft glow. His skin is glowing, the white shirt almost the same shade as his skin. His eyes are luminous. It's like they're burning holes in me. He unbuttons his shirt, and shrugs it off his shoulders, I see his feet working, probably kicking off his shoes and socks. I follow suit, kicking off my boots. I reach my hand out, an invitation. There are nervous butterflies in my stomach. I debate telling him about my virginity for a moment but then he's on me. His body is covering mine. His mouth is on my neck, kissing and sucking, leaving hickies behind on my neck. I gasp, and my eyes close. My arms wrap around his neck, my fingers tangle in his electric green hair, and I gasp as I feel his tongue probing a bruise he sucked into my skin the night before.

His hands are all over my body, the many rings catching my dress, and all I can think is "For fucks sake, just take it off."

I hear him laugh, a small huff, and his hips buck into my thigh. I realize that I said it out loud, and giggle with him, pulling him to face me. I kiss him on the lips as his hands pull at my dress. It begins to slid, bunching around my waist. His tongue is in my mouth, and we're both panting. I try to remember, or understand how we got here. But, God, then both of his hands are at my breasts, kneading over my bra. I whimper, and we part lips. I let out a small huff in irritation, but then my dress is slipping over my head. He throws it to the side, and leans back, looking at the newly exposed skin. I'm suddenly very aware of the small cross tattoo on my hip, and the self harm scars left from my teen years dotting my thighs.

His hands run down my body, starting at my shoulders, moving to my waist, my thighs, knees, calf's. He pulls his hands back up, this time on either side of my inner thighs. His eyes are hungry, and his Adams apple bobs as he gulps. His tongue runs over his teeth, and from this angle, my head on his pillows, I can see his pants pulled tight over his cock. He moves one leg in between my thighs, and then moves the other one there. My legs are now parted; he's slotted in between them and toying with the edge of my panties. He runs his thumb down my slit, over the cloth, and I gasp. I can feel my wetness growing. He slips his fingers over the cloth on my crotch, and I gasp, arching my back, when his finger tips graze my clit.

I've never felt this, never had this. It's so much, yet not enough. And fuck if we aren't over dressed. He slides his hand out of my crotch, and slides back up to my breasts. He wraps his arms around me, and I wrap my arms around his neck my hips grinding into him. He groans, and I feel his fingers fiddle with my bra clasp, before it falls open. He slides his hands forward, catching my bare breasts in his palms. He squeezes, just that side of harsh, and I whimper, bucking again. He lifts the bra off me, my arms sliding out.

He stares for a moment, hands running ticklish circles on my stomach. I giggle, and meet his eyes finally. His eyes, filled with lust just a moment before, soften. I lean up, and grab him by his belt loops. He lurches forward and I giggle. I'm sitting up, him on his knees. I unbutton his pants, and try unsuccessfully to push the perfectly tailored pants down his thighs. He laughs breathlessly, and helps me. Soon enough, he's nude, and I'm staring at him in his full glory.

He's beautiful. Every inch of him is pale, and the areas not covered in black ink, are like a canvas eager for the artist brush. His cock is proud and tall between his thighs. Scars dot him here and there, scratches that matured into puckered, somehow paler than his skin marks. I want to kiss them all. The oddest of it to me, is his cock. The head is red, nearly as red as his lips, and again I wonder why. Why his body is bleached like this. The veins on the side of his cock are a dark purple, the small patch of hair at the base is green, a darker shade than his hair though.

His hands are at my hips, and I gulp. He peels my panties down my legs slowly, thumbs skimming the skin, leaving goose bumps in their path. He stops for a moment, dropping my panties, and stares at me. His eyes skim down from my face, to my neck, my breasts, the nipples standing proud, and lungs heaving with adrenaline. I feel my blood boiling. Lower, across my quivering stomach, down each of my smooth legs, and back up. His hands reach forward. My legs part before he touches them, my legs dangling off the bed at the knee. He kneels on the floor, and I hear him mutter as his fingers part my lower lips. I don't know what he said, but his head is moving forward and **_OH_**!

His tongue, his teeth, on my clit, my labia, up and down the walls. Suddenly I couldn't care less what he said. He could have muttered that he was about to gut me, and I wouldn't have carried. His fingers, and tongue and fuck his teeth. My body was on fire, and I felt tears slid down my eyes.

"J!" I screamed, arching my back. I feel him moan, and the vibrations run through me like an electric shock. I let out a sob, and reach my hand down, my fingers winding in his hair, tugging and scratching his scalp.

"J!" I beg "J, stop, please!" There's a sob in my throat. I don't want him to stop, but god, I want this to last. I want this to go on forever. I never want this to end. He pulls back. He growls, and crawls up my body. I use my elbows to push myself up the bed, so my head rests on the pillows. He's hovering over me, not touching; just looking. He lowers his head, and kisses me. Slowly. Gently. I feel his erection bobbing against my thigh. I wrap my legs around his waist.

His hand moves to my crotch. His finger is in me. Then he adds another, and I pull breath in through my teeth, I tense for a moment, and then relax again. It doesn't hurt, and it's nice. Then he spreads his fingers. I grab his face, and kiss him; I don't want to whimper, to give myself away as the virgin I am. He continues to scissor me, and I grab at his back. I claw and gasp, as his thumb presses on my clit, circling. His mouth is on my ear, his breath sending shivers down my spine. I'm choking on my own breath, I want to cry. I feel so much. I feel his pulse in the finger tips inside me; I feel his cock bobbing against his thigh. I feel him shushing me gently.

His hand moves away, I try so hard not to tense up. He lines up his cock and pushes against me. I feel resistance, but I'm so wet, so turned on by him, that it slides in. It fills me. I feel it stretching me, and after a moment, it feels natural. I wonder for a moment how on earth I went without this. He kisses my neck, and moves, using his palms to balance himself above me. I gasp, and arch into him. He picks up his pace, and I feel sweat on my skin. I'm suddenly aware of the large open windows overlooking the city. The moonlight shines around his room. It's clean, bare except for the most basic bedroom furniture. Everything is surreal. He pushes into me, and hisses between his teeth. He moves his head down, and I feel his mouth engulf my nipple. He sucks, and moans, tongue darting across the surface, teeth biting cruelly, then his tongue laving it like a salve, taking away the hurt. I whimper, and reach my hand down; I can feel that I'm close. I know it's only been a minute or two, but everything about him is such a turn on for me. It's like he knows my body better than I know it, he touches me in just the right way, he teases me to the edge and back.

I attempt to rub my clit, but he grabs my wrist and slams it above my head with a growl.

* * *

J

"No!" I hiss at her, shoving brutally. I hear her gasp, then whimper, both in pleasure and pain. I stare at her, and grin.

"No." I say again, leaning down to her ear. I lick the shell of her ear, and slow my thrusts to a gentle rocking. She nearly sobs in frustration.

"I tell you when to cum..." I kiss her ear, and give a slow push, till I'm seated inside her deeply. Her hips are giving short thrusts, trying to make me move.

She turns her head, and I stare into her sea green eyes. "Please?" she begs in a broken voice, oh god, there are small tears in her eyes. She's obviously desperate. A rush of power shoots through me. I did this to her. I made her like this. I suddenly have a quick flash. She's covered in blood, a knife in her hand, bodies in the foreground. _"Please?"_

I blink and the image is gone. She a beautiful girl in my bed, begging for me to let her cum. The hand on her hip moves down. I lay my weight on her wrist, and use my fingers on her clit. I move into her slowly, fucking gently. God, this feeling. It's driving me nuts. I don't want to be slow. I want to grab her and fuck her, I want to bite her, mark her. I want to tear her apart, I want to spill inside her, and soil this beautiful girl. I want to use her, I want to destroy her and glue her back together.

I feel her tightening around me. Tightening, and loosening, and she's whimpering, her bucking is more vicious, her breath picking up. None too soon I think, because I feel close too. I don't know how much longer I can hold off till I take her fast and finish. I kiss her forehead, and rub faster. "Come on my Dove, come on baby girl…" I whisper, and she cries out. I move my hand from her wrist, and twine my fingers with hers, her other hand is leaving crescent shaped scratches on my back, and the small bite of pain spurs me on. I growl, and as she flutters around me, her channel tensing and relaxing as I rub her furiously. She screams out, and whimpers. Her hand moves from my back to my hand, grabbing it. I grab her hand, and twine my fingers with hers. I hold my weight on our hands, held out to her sides, and fuck her hard, groaning as her channel milks me with the last of her orgasm. I groan, and bite her shoulder. I taste blood, and feel myself spilling inside her.

* * *

V

There's warmth, and wetness in me. I don't push him off; instead I wrap myself around him. I want him to stay. I want to keep him inside me, forever. I kiss his forehead, and taste sweat, salty. He hums contentedly, and I feel him turn us on our sides. We're facing each other and I stroke his face, while he strokes mine.

Even though I usually hate being this close to people while sleeping, I feel myself relax into him. Despite my insomnia, I feel sleep coming for me. I yawn tiredly and rub my eyes, grimacing at the feel of make up on my eye lids, but honestly, I just lost my virginity and had a mind blowing orgasm. I couldn't give less of a fuck about washing off my makeup.

"Sleep Dove" he whispers, holding me close. I curl into him, and sleep.


	7. The Morning After

A/N- Shout out to Queen Nushy, my first message/comment about this story! Thank you to everyone who's read this!

* * *

You know the deal, POV switches.

J-Joker/Jason

V-Violet

D-Dawn

F-Frost

exc.

* * *

As usual, I don't own the batfamily, duh. I also don't own the Princess Bride reference, I just love the book/movie.

No smut in this chapter, but it's coming up. Love ya'll! ~ _JP_

* * *

SUNDAY week 1

V

The numbers on his bedside clock are the same color green as his hair. It's 3 AM, and I suddenly sit up with a start. The bed is cold, and empty, and my thought is immediately of Dawn. She must be freaking out.

She thought I came here to lose my life… If only she knew what I _actually_ lost. I slid out of the large bed, and kick around the floor for a moment. Finally I pick up a piece of clothing. It's Jokers shirt, I slip it over my shoulders, and sneak out into the main room. He's there; his pants are on, swung low on his hips, staring out the window. I see his face in the dark reflection. His eyes are glazed over, his mouth slightly open. I know that look. He's far away. A _million_ miles away. I look around, the dinner from that night is cleaned up, but the champagne still sits in a half melted bucket of ice. My purse is on the counter where Joker left it. I sneak forward, quiet. J doesn't notice. I pull my phone out. It's off. I turn it on, and walk quietly back into his room. I sit on the bed as I dial Dawn's number.

"Violet!" She cries, I hear hope, and fear in her voice, obviously she hasn't slept. I suddenly feel guilty. While she sat at home thinking me dead, I fucked the Joker. _God_ , I'm such a bitch.

"Yeah, Dawn, it's me..."

"Oh my god! Are you ok? Where are you? What happened?" The words all tumbled out of her mouth, jumbled together.

"I'm fine. I'm at the Jokers loft; I think I'm in the downtown area maybe? I didn't really pay attention." What happened? I don't really know that one. What _did_ happen? I came here, we took three bites of dinner, and suddenly I'm learning that he knows my whole life story, and instead of running like a sane person, I jump him, and let him not only fuck me, but take my virginity.

"Oh thank god… Are, I mean, when are you coming home?" She asks obviously worried.

"I dunno Dawn, probably tomorrow. I'm ok, I promise." She's quiet. I know she wants to ask more, but I can't give her more right now.

"Violet…" she says.

"Tomorrow…" I look at the bedside table "well, later today, ok? I promise, I'll tell you everything. But to be honest, I don't know what happened fully. I kind of need time to process." Dawn is silent. I'm about to call out to her again, worried she didn't hear, or that one of our phones died.

"Ok… I love you Vi, be safe, ok?" she says, I smile fondly.

"Ok Dawn, I love you too, bye." I look at my phone. The back ground flashes at me after she hangs up.

It's a picture of my family trip to the Grand Canyon last summer. I can't help but think that this is the phone of a child. I feel like I'm not a child anymore. I stepped into a world I didn't understand, and took the hand of the first devil I met.

* * *

I step back into the main room. Joker is still there, staring out at the city. I don't think he's moved. I walk quietly and stand by him. He doesn't move, and I'm about to say something when he starts to speak.

"I'm not the first Joker…" he says, and I'm taken aback, I look at him, brow furrowed.

"And I'm not the first Dread Pirate Roberts" I say, because honestly, _what the fuck else am I supposed to say?_ He cracks a small smile, and the fog over his eyes clears a little.

"I used to be good. _Really good_. Like, working in tandem with the bat good. But something happened, the first joker, or at least the one before me, he caught me." Joker is quiet for a moment, something dark crosses his face.

"I was just a kid… I tried to get away, but it didn't work. He… he drove me mad. Beatings, isolation, starvation, he forced me to murder and torture. He loved it. It was a game to him, taking this good, fairly innocent kid, and making him a monster. I finally escaped. I ran away, I couldn't go home. I couldn't see any of the people I thought I loved. I couldn't. They'd see what I was, I'd have to see what I'd become. I ran. I became a hit man. A gun for hire and a twisted, deadly, vigilante." He gulped, and closed his eyes.

"I came back to Gotham after years of being gone. The bat, he chased me. I was a hit man, so to him, that meant I was a bad guy. There… there was a fight. At ACE chemical waste dump. He, he struck me, and I fell into the vats. As I went under, I thought that was it. I thought I would die like that. I reached out for him, the Bat, I thought, he doesn't kill, he'd saved me a few times before, surely he'd help me." His eyes snapped open, hard now, angry.

"He _didn't_ help. The chemicals ate away at my clothes, I felt my skin burning. Have you ever put rubbing alcohol on an open wound?" he asked, looking at me. I nodded, remembering being a kid and falling all the time. Scabbed knees, bloodied palms, I always cleaned it with peroxide or alcohol before bandaging myself. Joker looked back over the city, and ran his hand through his hair.

"Imagine that feeling, everywhere. It was in my fucking _eyes,_ my mouth; I could feel myself drowning… I swam as fast as I could, I didn't dare open my eyes, but eventually I realized I was swimming down. I _had_ to open my eyes. God it burned, but I saw the light from the top of the vat. I swam, air running out of my lungs. Right before my vision went black; I made it to the top. I gasped for air, and pulled myself out of the vat. There was a walkway crisscrossing between all the vats that I pulled myself onto. My clothes had melted off; I was laying there, burning and gasping for air. Eventually I dragged myself away. Once I saw what I'd become…." He looked at himself in his reflection, pain in his blue eyes.

"I was so angry. I went mad… I didn't know what I could be. I figured I could never be normal, not when I looked like _this_. So, instead, I found the Joker before me. I killed him. Slowly, as pay back." Joker looked at me; he lifted his hand, and ran his fingers down my face.

"I didn't stop killing. I couldn't. It was the only thing that made the hurt go away." We stared at each other. Despite the fact that I hardly knew him, I felt my heart breaking for him. My own hand cupped his cheek, and he leaned into it.

"Or at least it was. Until I saw you." I blushed madly, and looked down. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know about the other girl, I wanted to know his real name, I wanted to know what happened to his family. Instead I smiled at him.

"Ya know…" I started, hugging him, and leaning my head on his bare chest. "When I came over tonight, I didn't expect to meet a broken man. Hell, if you'd told me I'd be losing my virginity to the Joker last week, I would have called the hospital on you." He froze, going stiff. I furrowed my brow, confused as to what set him off.

"You…. Your virginity?" he asked, sounding a little shocked.

I pulled back and bite my lip, looking him in the eye. I nodded, and he looked lost for a moment.

"I, I didn't know." He said, he looked a little guilty.

I scoffed and smirked at him "I know you didn't, I didn't say anything. Not too shabby I'd say. I enjoyed myself a lot. And look at it like this, if I die now, it won't be as a virgin." He threw his head back, and began to laugh, great peals of laughter, and eventually I joined him. Eventually our laughter subsided into giggles.

"So.." he said, his eyes alight with something.

"You've made love to a devil, you ever danced with one?" I looked at him, perplexed. He grinned, and grabbed a small remote from the side table. He clicked a few buttons, and soft music started playing. It was something jazzy, and soothing. He wrapped his hands around my waist, and my arms wound around his neck. We began to sway to the beat.

"C-… can I ask your name?" I whispered after a few moments, afraid to break the moment. I felt the hands on my hips grip a little tight, before relaxing.

"No, I can't, it's not just my identity I'd risk. But I will tell you, it starts with a J."

"Your real name starts with a J?"

"Yeah, I know, very convenient. My last name… my last name starts with a T. Everyone thinks I'm dead, and to be honest, until I kissed you, I was pretty sure I was too." I lifted my head from his chest, and stared into his sad blue eyes. I kissed him softly, and rested my head back on his chest. I could hear a soft heart beat. It was proof that his man was alive, and that he was a man. A man who was broken and hurt. I couldn't tell if I wanted to put him back together, or break myself into million pieces so we could be together.

* * *

I don't know how long we stayed like that. Eventually we moved to the couch and curled up together. We talked, and talked, and talked. I learned more about how this man came to own most of Gotham, I learned that Frost had started out as a nameless lackey, but that he was now the closest thing to a friend that J had.

J learned that I sang soprano, and had a kleptomania issue. He laughed at that. He learned that I tried to kill myself when I was a kid, due to severe depression, he learned about my friendship with Dawn, my friends back home. My mom, my step dad, my favorite books, and movies, I blushed as I told him about the first guy I fooled around with, and grinned as I told him about my trips to California and Chicago. I told him about _me_. Even though he seemed entranced by my stories of going skinny dipping with my friends when I was a teen, I couldn't help but think about how _dull_ my life was next to him. He was wild; he broke all the rules, created new rules, and then smashed _those_ for the hell of it. He was a wild card, a monster, a demon. God was he dangerous.

We talked and talked. I began to drift off during a moment of silence, both of us thinking about the others stories. He held me close, and I felt my eyes drift close.

* * *

"Boss?" I woke with a start, and whipped my head around.

J had growled, having been woken as well, a gun that must have been hidden in the couch cushions was suddenly in his hand and pointed at Frost. When the sleep cleared from his eyes, and he saw that it was no threat he popped his neck and slipped the gun back into the couch cushion behind me. The light was coming in from the windows, almost blinding. It must have been late morning.

"What?" he barked, irritated. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer. Frost coughed, obviously not used to seeing his boss with women.

"Uh, sir, sorry, but it's nearly noon…" Frost trailed off.

"So?" J hissed, glaring at Frost. Frost shrugged, and moved out of the apartment. I pouted and wrapped my arm around J's torso.

"We need to get up." I yawned. J huffed and squeezed me around my shoulders.

"Why?" he whined, I grinned, but extracted myself from his grip.

"Because my friend is probably having a panic attack." I said, smiling at him. I stood and stretched lethargically, I didn't even really care that under J's shirt, I was nude. My body was on full display, but I couldn't care less. It was just J and I, and honestly, I shivered in remembrance, J had already seen it all.

"J?" I called, as I moved toward his room.

"Hmm?" he stepped up beside me, tilting his head.

"Um… I need a shower, which way?" he grabbed my hand and dragged me into his room. The mirrored wall slide to reveal a bathroom. Or a bath _mansion_ really. There was a smaller area in the back corner, which I could see was a toilet. The counter stretched wide, crafted of fully black marble. There was a glass shower in one corner, with a bench, and, to be honest, I probably could have laid down in there it was so huge. There was also a tub next to it. It was deep, and long. I bite my lip, and looked at both. I finally chose the bathtub. J was still standing there, looking at me as I fiddled with the water taps. I looked back at him shyly as I unbuttoned the shirt on me, letting it drop to the floor. I looked up at him, and grabbed his hand, pulling him closer. I pushed his pants down and he grinned at me.

* * *

An orgasm, bathing, and tooth brushing later, we emerged from the bathroom. He moved over to his closet, and I poked around, trying to find my under things, and dress.

"What're you doing?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Er, getting dressed?" I said, holding my bra in one hand, and panties in the other. His nose wrinkled, and he moved out of the room. I heard him call for Frost, there was an opening of the door, quiet talking, then the closing of a door. A moment later he reentered the room, holding a bag.

"Here Dove, much more fitting for my Princess." I grinned at him in bemusement, but took the bag. In the bag was a bra, my size, of fine silk, and a matching pair of panties. There was a pair of shorts, also high quality, a brand name I recognized, but couldn't pronounce. There was also a shirt, soft as an angles wing, white, with a black ace of hearts printed on it. I smirked at him, and leaned forward. I kissed him.

"How'd you-?" I began to ask.

"While you were asleep, I texted Frost and told him to get you something." He shrugged, as if it was nothing, but looking at the clothes, I knew these must have cost several hundred dollars. I blushed again, and dressed. When I turned around, he was dressed as well, and had been staring at me. Today he wore simple black jeans, and a white T shirt. It was so much simpler than anything I'd ever seen him in. I licked my lips, suddenly taken by how attractive he was.

When we emerged from the room, there was a middle aged Hispanic woman in the kitchen. She didn't say anything, and J didn't say anything to her. She bustled about, and a moment later, laid out two plates with simple omelets on it. She set out a glass of orange juice for J before turning to me.

"What would you like to drink, ma'am?" she asked, her accent was mild, her voice sweet and soft.

"Oh, um, water?" I asked, looking uncomfortable. She smiled at me again, and prepared a glass of ice water, which she set out by the second plate. She then busied herself with cleaning the dishes in the sink, and wiping counters. I sat across from J at his small table; he played footsie with me as we ate our brunch quietly.

I felt, giddy. Like a child. How _odd._ I was playing footsie with a murderer, and instead of fear or disgust, I felt warmth. I felt like I had finally come home after a long adventure far away. I never wanted to leave home again. I knew it couldn't stay like this though. _It couldn't_.

* * *

J

"I need to go home soon." She said suddenly. I couldn't help the nervous tick in my left eye. I didn't want her to leave, _ever_. I wanted to keep her with me always. I wasn't lying when I told her she made the hurt go away. I forgot the monster that I was when I was with her. Her soft skin hide the scars of my past, her gentle eyes made me sure I'd never shed a tear in my life.

"Home?" I asked, poking at the bite of omelet left on my plate.

"Yeah… Like, Dawn's apartment home." She looked at me, sadly almost. I pouted at her, petulant like a child.

"Why?" I whined. She grinned at me indulgently, before the look left her eyes.

"Well, to be honest, she thought she was sending me to my death last night. She deserves to know what's going on." Panic grips me for a moment. If she tells Dawn who I am, where I came from...

Violet looks at me, and sees my panic. "Between us, I mean. She needs to know that she's not in danger. That we're all ok. That everything is ok." She clarifies, grabbing my hand. I stroke my thumb across the back of her hand, and look in her eyes.

"Will you come back?" I ask.

Violet blushes. "Yeah, J, I'll come back." I bite my lip, and pout at her.

"Text me?" I ask. She nods, and hands me her phone. I put in my number, and I kiss her again as I hand back her phone.


	8. Violet is a sap, and Dawn isn't pleased

A/N still no smut, but I'm thinking of adding another chapter or two today? anyway, ya'll enjoy.

Oh! BTW,

 _If you see this, it means it's a text conversation. The initial at the end is the person who sent it.-JP_

VERY VERY minor mentions of rape, or actually a fear of rape. VERY SMALL, but still there, you've been warned.

and, I don't own the Batfam

* * *

J

It's about 2 PM when I walk Vi to the door of my loft. Frost is there waiting, stone faced as always. I grab her one more time before she steps in the elevator, and kiss her hard. She melts in my arms; a small breath of air leaves her. I don't want to let her go. I feel the fine quality of cloth under my hands, and can't help but think this is how it should be. Her, in my arms, wearing only the finest cloths, her being treated like the princess she is. Maybe by my side, covered in the blood of our enemies? It's a tempting thought for me, I already took her innocence, perhaps I ought to keep her here with me forever, never let her leave me, keep her here and pamper her for the rest of her days? I want her to be mine _forever_.

But I can't, not yet. Instead I let her go, and she squeezes my hand one more time before stepping into the elevator. The doors glide closed, and she smiles at me, blowing a kiss right before her lovely face is replaced by the sleek black metal of the elevator doors.

* * *

 _I'm on my way home-V_

 _Oh my god! Thank god! How far away are you? –D_

 _I dunno, we're in downtown Gotham I think, so like, 15, 20 min?-V_

 _Ok, I'll be here when you get here. You need to tell me EVERYTHING, got it?-D_

 _Of course. Is Jer there?-V_

 _No, he got called into work. Wayne is there today, so they have all the custodians working overtime.-D_

 _When does he get off?-V_

 _I dunno, 8ish?-D_

 _Ok, J wants to see me again soon.-V_

 _J? as in The Joker "J"? wtf Vi?-D_

 _Yeah…. He wasn't exactly in a murderous mood.-V_

 _Wtf does that mean? –D_

 _I'll explain when I get there, you just have to promise not to get mad at me?-V_

 _I'll promise no such thing.-D_

 _For god's sake Dawn, please?-V_

 _….-D_

 _Dawwwwwwwn don't do that to me?-V_

 _Fine. I'll see you when you get here. And I promise not to hurt you…-D_

 _Or at least not inflict any hospital worthy injuries.-D_

 _Dawn, I'm really sorry I didn't call earlier.-V_

 _Well, ok fine. But what where you doing?-D_

 _Um, sleeping?-V_

 _Wtf? Like sleeping sleeping or "SLEEPING" sleeping?-D_

 _…..-V_

 _VIOLET XAVIERA!-D_

 _I'll see you soon, we're almost there.-V_

 _You are dead meat.-D_

* * *

V

I really do feel like a total bitch. How could I have just forgotten about Dawn like that? She must have been so worried about me.

I stare out the window; the city high rises are a blur as we speed past them. There are people everywhere, going to and from work, getting off of, and about to take lunch breaks. They all have their own lives and stories. Each of them live here for one reason or another.

I wonder ideally what it'd be like to live here.

To live in that loft, high above the city, the Joker by my side. Or I guess, me by his side. I wonder what it'd be like to be his girl...

* * *

Dawn's apartment building looms over head. I gulp nervously, not looking forward to this at all. She's going to be so mad, and worried, and she's going to think I'm insane.

Frost steps up to my door, and opens it smoothly. He offers me a hand, which I take, sliding out of the car. "Thank you." I murmur, straightening up.

"Hope to see you soon, Ma'am." He says. I smile at him.

"And you, Mr. Frost." He winks at me playfully, and makes his way back to the driver side door. As he pulls away, I make my way up to the front entrance.

I stare at her apartment door. The knocker is gold, the door faded with age, I can hear her pacing on the other side. It's quiet in there. No loud TV, no giggling, no anything. Just the swish of her feet wearing holes in the carpet. I take a deep breath, and raise my hand, knocking tentatively.

There's a rush of noise.

"VIOLET!" she cries, and I hear her frantically fiddling with the many locks on her door. She's cussing and hissing at the door, and I can't help a small smile from forming on my face. Finally, the door flies open.

Our eyes lock for just a moment, and she's launching herself at me. She hugs me so hard I feel like I'm choking. Finally she parts, and grabs me by the collar of my shirt, pulling me into the apartment.

"START EXPLAINING!" she demands, eyes angry, but also relieved.

"Ok, look, first off, I'm sorr-" I'm cut off by her gasp. She shoves at my head, so that I crane it to the side.

"Holy. Fuck… Vi, is this a, another fucking HICKEY? DID THE JOKER GIVE YOU ANOTHER FUCKING HICKEY?" She's yelling, angry, scared, relieved, and just a touch amused.

"Um…. Maybe?" I say meekly.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN MAYBE? Violet, I've known you since we where kids, you've NEVER had a hickey, and suddenly you're letting this guy bruise you the fuck up? What the actual _fuck_ is going on? And quit beating around the bush for God's sake!"

"Ok look, Dawn, breath. It's kind of a long story, except not really, I mean-" I cut off at her icy glare.

"I thought he was going to kill me. After the flowers, and the making out, I thought he was angry that I ran away. I figured he was going to kill or rape me or something terrible like that, but…." I bite my lip, and blush, not meeting her eye.

"Well, it wasn't like that. I got there, and he had a dinner laid out. A bottle of champagne that was definitely expensive as fuck, and he was just so…" Dawn quirks an eyebrow.

"Well, dreamy, you know?" I ask, looking at her for understanding. She looks bewildered for a moment, before her face morphs into a glare.

"No! I don't know! He's a murderer Violet! He's killed people, like, _a lot_ of fucking people." She pleads with me, and I know it will take a lot for her to understand.

"I know, Dawn I know, but every time I see him, I just, it's like the whole world slips away. He was so honest with me. He told me how he became what he is; he told me why he was looking into us, all of it. He just, told me."

"And you know it was the truth, _how_?" she's impatient, irritated.

"I just do Dawn, he's, he's a broken man. He went through so much. He lost _everything_ , and now he's got _nothing_. And I just… Dawn he's amazing…" I trail off, and look at her. She looks panicked, disgusted, and concerned.

"Oh my god…" She whispers, eyes going wide with a realization.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Oh my god! Vi, you're in love with him!?"

"What?!" I squawk, I feel my voice break a little. "no!" I defend, scoffing. Oh god, I can hear the terrible lie in my own head.

"VI!" she yells, arms thrown in the air.

"Ok, ok Dawn, maybe, but you don't understand! He's so..."

"So what? Huh? Deadly? Dangerous? INSANE?"

A small flash of anger shoots through me. "He's not mad!" I defend, pouting. "He's _not_ , he acts like it so that nobody knows that he not the first Jok-" I catch myself, and change my course of words fast. "so that people stay scared of him."

"Oh I see," Dawn huffs "That's so much better. I'm so happy that he's just _pretending_ to be insane so he can fuck with people."

"Dawn…"

"NO! Vi, you are playing with fire, I mean, you disappear all night and now, you're not even in your clothes. Please tell me you didn't sleep with him?"

I look down semi-guilty.

"OH MY GOD! Violet! Was that your first?"

"No!" I answer, petulantly, and much too quickly. Dawn rolls her eyes and groans.

"Dawn…" I say again.

"What?" she snaps.

"I'm going to see him again." I say. Because, honestly, I can't _not_ see him. I've felt him. I need him.

"Going to see…. Why? _Oh my god_ , why Vi? You already fucked him? I mean, god forbid, what if he knocked you up, huh? Why would you go back and see him? What if he gets mad and kills you?"

I hadn't thought about a baby, and I suddenly feel panic run through me. But I push the thought away for now, because, honestly, I've been on the pill for hormone balance since I was sixteen, so how unlikely. "Dawn, there's something about him. He's just, I need to see him again. If only to cut things off. I mean, I have to leave soon anyway."

I feel my heart break a little at the thought. Dawn groans, and stomps away. Obviously she's done with me for now.


	9. The First Date

A/N- Ok, man sooooo many things on this chapter.

A. This is nearly 5K words, way longer than my other updates. I just didn't want to leave ya'll with a big cliffy. You're welcome!

B. There is a bit of torture here. It's not explicit, but it IS present. There is also reference to rape, and assault. Don't worry, SOB gets what he deserves.

C. Yes, there IS a scene from Suicide Squad, _you're welcome._

D. Batsy makes an apperance. Sorry not sorry.

E. Violet is low-key kind of a sap? I'm not sure about this, but she's still my baby, soooo, yeah, enjoy!

Remember _This is a text conversation._

J-Joker

F-Frost

V-Violet

D-Dawn exc exc

OH! and I don't own the batfamily, or Hamilton. Enjoy!

* * *

MONDAY week 2

 _Are you free tonight?-V_

 _For you baby? Always.-J_

 _When can I see you?-V_

 _Whenever you want.-J_

 _Will you be at the club tonight?-V_

 _No.-J_

 _Oh, ok. –V_

 _I'll be with you.-J_

 _Really now?-V_

 _I'll be there to pick you up at 6 babe.-J_

 _What about Dawn?-V_

 _What about her?-J_

 _She doesn't want me to see you again.-V_

 _Do you want to see me again?-J_

 _Yes-V_

 _Is she your mother?-J_

 _No-V_

 _I'll see you at 6 then. –J_

 _Hey J-V_

 _Yeah babe?-J_

 _Nvm, I'll see you at 6. Where are we going?-V_

 _Somewhere fancy baby. –J_

 _I'll be ready.-V_

* * *

I wanted to tell him I loved him.

I chickened out. I mean really, all we did was make love….

And tell each other our life stories….

And dance together…

And….

God I'm fucked.

* * *

J

I grin at my cell, and slip it back in my coat pocket. I'm down at the docks. There are purple gloves on my hands and a knife in my left palm. I turn around and look at the scared man behind me. He's pathetic. He's also _very_ stupid.

I rub his shoulders harshly, the knife lying against his bare chest.

"You know, Michael, I don't like people fucking my girls up." He whimpers, and shakes his head.

"Please! Sir please, it wasn't me!" I growl and turn my nose up in disgust. How stupid does he think I am? One of my girls shows up at the club house, bruised and bloodied. She had just come from upper west, and gave me Michael Davis' description.

"Really now? You sure about that?" I asked, pouting at him. Right as he was about to nod, I grabbed his mouth, the bright red smile fitted over his lying mouth very nicely.

"Now Michael, before you answer, I need you to think hard. Long and hard." I lean forward, and he whimpers. I lick the tattooed smile on my hand and giggle.

" _Think_ Michael. I don't like liars. I dislike liars _almost_ as much as I dislike people who fuck with what's mine." Michael lets out a small sob, and he nods in understanding. I release my hand from his mouth, and he opens it.

"Please, Sir, I promise it wasn't me. I ain't used one of your girls at all this week, I swear!" I pop my neck, and look at Frost.

"Well, Mr. Frost, what do you make of that, hm?"

"I dunno boss, he sounds pretty honest to me." I can see a glint of glee in his eyes. He has a sweet spot for this girl, a young, pretty little brunette named Emelina. I hum and walk around Michael slowly. He's whimpering, and eyeing me hopefully. Finally I look around.

"Ohhhhh, Emmy!" I call in a sing song voice. I see Michael's eyes widen in panic. A moment later, Emelina hobbles towards us. As she gets closer, Frost wraps his arm around her waist, helping hold her weight. Emelina has a hard look in her dark eyes, and she's glaring at Michael with vitriol. She looks a mess, even after Maria helped clean her up last night. Her eye is black, her jaw swollen, a cut on her forehead. I know that under the simple, long loose dress she's wearing there are other hurts and pains. I know her ribs are bruised, and have hairline fractures. I know she has a small concussion, a broken finger, twisted ankle, and numerous new scars dotting her tanned brown body. God, I can't help but feel a small swell of admiration when I see the fire in her eyes. What a strong girl.

"Mister J." She says, nodding at me respectfully. I grin at her, and look back at Michael, whose face is full of fear.

"Ah, Emelina! Emmy Emmy Emmy, my little cupcake, one of my best, smartest girls." She smiles a little, almost a smirk, but her eyes haven't left Michael.

I walk over to her, and softly stroke the side of her face with the least bruising."Em, darling, can you tell the class how you came to the club last night?"

"Of course Mister J." her bruised shoulders straighten, "I came to the club after hours, a bloody mess. Beaten to a pulp. I got lucky, one of the cab drivers on the block I was at recognized me as your girl sir, and picked me up free of charge. He took me straight to you, Mister J." I hum quietly, and raise an eyebrow at Michael.

"Well, Michael, you see her now. This is _after_ Frost and Maria fixed her up, too. She looks to be in bad shape, doesn't she?" Michael gulped, his eyes somehow even wider.

"Y-Yes s-ss-…sir." He stuttered out.

"Now Michael..." I step away from Emelina, and slide up by Michael, gently caressing his face with my knife.

"You wouldn't do this to an innocent girl, would you? Hm? You'd _never_ beat some poor girl trying to make a living, right?" My face is full of sympathy, and Michael nods furiously, I could hear his teeth chattering together.

"N-No sir! E- especially not one of yours, J." I smiled at him, and patted his cheek.

"Emmy, darling." I called, not looking back at her.

"Yes sir?" she asks.

"Emmy sugar, can you tell me what the man looked like, the one who roughed you up?"

"Of course sir. White, about 45 to 50, salt and pepper hair, brown eyes, a bit of a pot belly, about 5'10" , with a gold tooth, and a cross tattoo on his left wrist." Emelina smirked at Michael, who matched this description to a T.

Michael paled, and gulped again. He looked back and forth between Emelina and I.

"L-Look J, I know what you're thinking! I ain't no beater though! Ask Ana, I ain't never laid a hand on her like that, you know that! A-and beside, lots of guys look like that. Right Em? M-Maybe it was a d-d-d-druggy or something? It was awful dark I imagine? Right darling?" he was looking at Emelina now, his eyes pleading. She smirked at him coldly.

"Of course, you're right, it was dark. But there's one thing I forgot to mention, J, sir, if I may?" I motion towards Michael with my arms wide. Emelina limps forward, and goes to her knees between Michael's thighs. He's shaking, and pale. I think he might throw up. Emelina, with her left hand in a splint, clumsily undoes Michael's pants. She pulls down, and points at his penis, which is rather small.

"That, sir. He has a piercing. See here?" she pulls down her split lip, and I can see where it was cut open with something besides a tooth.

"He forced his dick in my mouth, and his piercing cut my lip." I help Emelina to her feet, and nod at Frost. He gently takes her hand, murmuring to her softly. She turns around right before she turns the corner, and throws both Michael and I a smirk of satisfaction.

Michael begins to sob, and beg for mercy. "I- I'm so sorry J! Please, I swear, I was so drunk, please I'm so sorry! Please, d-don't hurt me!" he begs. I roll my eyes, and reach down to the table on my right.

"Micky, micky, micky." I sigh and shake my head. "Buddy, I'd love to help you out, but you know I don't like liars. Now Emmy is one of my best girls. Smart, sweet as candy, and a tough little thing. You beat her. Now, I don't like you hitting her. You knew she was mine, right? Hm?" Michael sobs, and nods his head. I ruffle his hair, and reach for the surgical forceps.

He screams as I catch his tongue in the forceps, and force it out of his mouth. He screams in fear as I reach for a knife.

"Now Michael," I hiss with glee, "this is just going to hurt, _a lot_."

* * *

It's an hour before I'm done with Michael. His penis, tongue, and teeth, along with the hand he used to hit Emelina, lay in bloody piles around him. He's still alive, although he's gone into shock, only letting out small whimpers around the bloody stump that was his tongue. I sneer at him in disgust, and tilt his head back. I slowly slit his throat, and watch as he bleeds out. When he gurgles and gasps for the last time, I walk away.

Frost knows how to dispose of the body. He knows that Michael is an example to my girl's clients.

I don't have time to pose and show off his mutilated corpse myself though, I have a date tonight.

* * *

V

It's 5:50, and I'm fiddling with my long hair. I don't know how fancy that place we're going is, so I stuck with the only other dress I brought with me, as the black one is still at his loft, and the purple one is dirty. This one is a knee length white number, with a slim red belt accentuating my waist. My lipstick is just a shade darker than J's lips, and I'm nervous.

Dawn is sitting on her couch, glaring at me. I look back at her and spread my arms."Well?" I ask nervously. She scoffs and looks away from me.

"Oh yes, very fitting for your first official date with a _serial killer_." She snarls. I groan, and before I can snap back at her a knock comes from her front door. I rush to the door, almost too eager. I open it and grin. There he is, silver grill and all. His suit jacket is black, a black vest and white button down underneath. The top three buttons of his shirt are undone, and I can see his smooth chest, tattoos peeking out from the edges.

"Hi." I say breathlessly, stunned by his beauty. He grins back at me.

"'ello Dove." He mutters, from behind his back, he pulls out a single white rose. He pulls off most of the stem with his fingers, and puts it in my hair. I smell the clean scent, and blush again as his fingers brush my cheek.

"Beautiful." He mutters. I look down bashfully, but his finger under my chin lifts my face towards him. He kisses me sweetly, and I feel a heat run through me.

Dawn clears her throat from behind us, and I part from him. "Oh, um, sorry. J, this is Dawn, Dawn this is-"

"The Joker, no shit Sherlock." She's glaring at him, and I look at her in exasperation.

J clears his throat. "Well, sugar, you could always call me J?" she scoffs at him, and rolls her eyes again. His brow bone raises, and I see amusement in his eyes.

"Ok, well!" I say loudly, trying to break the tension. "We'll be off then, I don't know when I'll be home Dawn, soooo…"

"I'm not leaving the door unlocked. I'm sure he can pick the lock for you. If you come back at all." She glares at me pointedly, and I roll my eyes.

"Dawn…" I whine.

"Goodbye!" she calls, glaring at us. My god, if looks could kill.

* * *

J

The door closes with a slam, and I can't help a small chuckle. "I like her." I tell Violet as she slips her arm through the crook of my elbow.

"Yeah, she's…." Violet trails off with a sigh and an eye roll.

"Brave? Gutsy?" I supply, grinning at her. She nods and giggles.

"I was going to say _stupid_." She replies, and I can't help the loud laugh that escapes me.

We make our way down the stairs, and I hear her small whistle at the sight of my car. It's a purple Lamborghini, top of the line, and my baby, obviously. I smoothly opened the door for her, and I heard her say "Wooooaaahhh" very quietly as she slid into the plush seats.

I made my way to the other side gleefully, and slid in with grace. The car purred to life under us, and Violet let out a small giggle.

"So what'd you do today?" she asked as we made our way through the city. I smirked, and then furrowed my brow.

"Do you want the truth, or the sane mans answer?" I asked. I saw her smirk out of the corner of my eye, and her hand landed on my thigh, high, close to my crotch.

"The truth." She said, eyes earnest

"Always the truth." She insisted solemnly.

I looked at her for a moment, before putting my eyes back on the road. I grasped her hand with my own, and squeezed.

"I killed a man. Slowly, and painfully."

"Oh?" she said, I dared a peek at her. She didn't look scared, just intrigued.

"He beat one of the girls from my club."

"Is she ok?" There was unmistakable concern in her voice, and I couldn't help a small smile. I tell her I killed someone, and instead of berating me, she asked about his victim. How fucking _cute_ was that?

"She'll be ok. She's off for the rest of the week though. She's got a few broken bones, and a lot of bruises." I heard Violet hiss angrily from next to me.

"Did he suffer?" she asked. I felt a jolt of arousal shoot through me.

"Oh yes. He did." I growled lowly, gripping the wheel tightly, thinking about how he screamed when I cut his dick off, or how pathetically he begged without a tongue.

"Good." Said Violet quietly, I licked my lips, and looked at her sideways. She was looking out the window, her face dreamy and far away. I was struck with an image. Her, covered in blood and dirt, giggling as we lowered a mutilated corpse into the ground, white as death, lips red as blood. Shit, that would be perfect….

* * *

It was an elite restaurant. All of Gotham's big wigs ate here. Tonight though, it was our place of dining. It belonged to Wayne, which I hated, but they had wonderful food, and it was the highest class restaurant in Gotham. Only the best for my little Dove.

The host's eyes went wide when he saw me, and I smirked, raising a brow at him

"Uh- N-name s-s-sir?" he stuttered out, face pale. I grinned at him, and winked.

"Frost. Jonathan Frost." The kid looked down, and his finger ran down the list at the podium.

"R-right this way sir." He stuttered. We where led to the back, a nice, quiet area of the restaurant, and I made a mental note to slip Frost a small bonus next pay day. Saying thank you probably would have been just as meaningful, but whatever.

I brushed the kid out of the way as he tried to pull out Violets seat, and did it for her instead. She smiled at me and sat gracefully. The kid stood by nervously as I sat myself, and looked back at him. I grinned with all my teeth, and the poor kid looked like he was about to faint. "W-Would you like a w-w-wine list, s-sir?" he asked, gulping uncomfortably. It was pretty funny how scared this kid was, and I almost laughed.

"Yes, thank you. A water for both of us also." I waved my hand, and the kid nodded, scurrying away. Violet lifted a brow at me.

"That poor kid. I bet he's having a panic attack in the kitchen right now." She gave me a pointed look, and I grinned at her, letting out a low chuckle.

"Oh trust me, that's normal for me."

"Maybe it's the hair?" she supplied sweetly, and we both laughed.

* * *

We were eating the main course, a wonderful cider sitting in front of both of us. It was awfully sweet, but I'd always had a bit of a sweet tooth, so I enjoyed it. There had been light conversation all meal. It was like we'd silently agreed to not talk about her going home in a week. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want her to leave.

She took a small bite of food, and her small smile of indulgence made me want to take her on the table. My god, how the hell did she make eating a roasted duck look so fucking _erotic_? She took a small sip of her cider, and met my eyes.

"So, J, you don't have to answer, but I'm just curious, how old are you?" I tilted my head, thinking for a moment. I hadn't counted my birthday in years. It hadn't mattered to me.

"Hmm…" I said, counting in my head. I was born in August of '83, and it was now August of 2016. "What's the date?" I asked.

"Er, August 11th?" she answered, cocking her head.

"I'll be 33 in 5 days." I said matter-of-factly, smiling at her easily.

"Huh, you're 13 years older than me?" she asked, tilting her head. I shrugged; I didn't want to think about where I was in my life the year she was born. I was 13; my father was in jail, my mother, who wasn't actually my mother, made me work as a petty criminal to pay for her drugs. I was given a choice, crime, or prostitution. I choose crime. It would be another year before I would meet Batman, and yet another six months before he would take me into his home. Three years later would find me suffering at the hands of the Joker, then living life under the red hood. By the time I was her age, I was working as an assassin, a gun for hire, I was talented, and vicious. When I was 23, I came back to Gotham. I don't know why, I had the stupid idea that I would reveal myself to Batman. I would taunt him with my resurrection; tease him with the blood on my hands. But I didn't expect the fear I felt when I saw him again. He thought I was the Joker, having taken up his old persona for some reason. There was a fight…..

Her hand touched mine, gentle and soft. I snapped back to the present. She smiled at me gently. "Welcome back J." she muttered. Our waiter suddenly appeared, and took away our main course. As he walked back into the kitchen to fetch our dessert, I cast my eyes out over the restaurant. It was mostly empty, and those that where there either couldn't see us, or where staring in barely concealed fear. There was a loud laugh from the front, and my eyes snapped forward.

The golden doors opened.

Bruce, in a black suit, handsome despite his age, and still fully capable of taking down most of the villains in Gotham, was there, a beautiful woman on his arm, coworkers and other CEOs surrounding him. I felt rage run through me, then anxiety, fear, betrayal, sadness.

His eyes met mine, they went wide, his face paled, and his breath caught.

Then anger. Of course, he didn't know I wasn't the old Joker, he thought I was the one who killed Jason. He didn't know _I was_ Jason. His eyes burned holes into me, his face hard. I sneered at him, and turned back to Violet.

* * *

V

His face was pale. Ok, his face was always pale, but it looked even paler. I cocked my head, and followed his gaze. There was a man, about middle aged, very handsome, and a group of finely dressed people. They all wore business clothes, and when they saw us, they seemed to grow weary. I saw the handsome, broad man in the center snap his fingers; the mousy, nervous little boy who had showed us to our seats skittered over to him. There was a quiet conversation, the man's jaw ticked, reminding me of my father when he became angry. Finally he waved the boy away; he glared at us, and huffed. Then the crowd was led to a large table in the middle of the restaurant. The man deliberately took a seat facing us. Despite the fact that he had a date, and most of the people at the table seemed intent on talking to him, his eyes never left us. It was unnerving. I turned my back on him, and looked back at J, who was sneering at him, one brow bone raised.

"J?" I asked. His eyes snapped to me, fury still on his face, but it softened when he saw my confusion. He leaned forward in his seat and grasped my hand.

"Yes Dove?" he asked, it seemed his full attention was now on me.

"Who is that man?" I whispered.

"Bruce Wayne." He said simply. The name sounded familiar, and as I looked down, I saw the napkins under our water glasses embellished with a gold W.

"Does he own this place?" I asked, looking back around at Wayne, before looking back at J.

J smirked at me, and gave a slight bob of his head in conformation.

The waiter came back then, a small dessert in his hands.

* * *

J

Despite the fact that the dessert we were eating was worth more than Violets dress, I couldn't help but feel like a teenager, a proper teenager, not a thief, or side kick, or an assassin. The fork going between my teeth, sharing the small mousse with her, her smiling at me, giggling and telling me about how she fell down at her graduation ceremony. I couldn't help but smile. A real smile, not the grins I gave to frighten, this was soft, and if not for my permanently red lips, and silver coated teeth, it would have been gentle.

I looked back up at Bruce; he was staring at us, cold, calculating, and confused. I worried for a moment about Violets safety, but then remembered that Batsy didn't kill people. Not even people he was sure killed his ward.

 _Asshole._

Violets hand cupped my cheek, bringing me back to her. She was concerned, and curious. I smiled at her, and looked up, waving over our waiter. The small, anxious waiter was there in a moment. He whipped away our plates, and after I told him we were done, he returned a moment later with the bill. I paid in cash, leaving a more than generous tip.

I stood, and offered my hand to her. She grasped it with a grin, and I couldn't help my returning smile. We wound around each other, her head down, giggling at a joke I'd told. Granted it was a dead baby joke….

I met Bruce's eyes one more time before we walked out. I smirked at him and winked, blowing a kiss as we left. His eyes widened in rage and worry.

* * *

V

"Where to?" I asked as we slid into the car. He smiled at me, silver teeth on full display. He pulled two tickets from his jacket pocket and presented them to me.

"How about a show?" he asked, smiling. I took them gingerly, and gasped when I read the name.

"Hamilton! Oh my goodness! How did you get these? It's been sold out for months?" I looked over at him, and he grinned, kissing me soundly.

"Money, my little Dove, can do some amazing things." He winked at me, and put the car in drive.

New York was about an hour away from Gotham, or at least it was if you drove like J. It was a fast drive, and his eyes never left the road. I wondered ideally how he managed to not hit any cars, or get caught by any police.

The theater was beautiful and I felt like a Victorian lady, hanging off of J's arm. The attendant seemed taken aback by J's appearance, but obviously didn't know who he was. That made the looks much easier to bear. Instead of fear, it was bewilderment. I didn't mind that. I hugged J, and kissed him soundly as we took our seats. It was a box, there was another couple with us, and they looked terrified for a few moments, before I started talking to the woman. I asked them if they'd ever seen Hamilton, been to New York, made normal chit chat. After a few minutes, J joined in. He told us about his love of history, and how he'd heard most of the music, but not had a chance to see it yet.

The man eventually, though he was clearly uncomfortable, asked what J did for a living. J's lie was so smooth and believable, that I almost forgot he was a vicious mob boss who ruled Gotham with a bloody fist. "I'm the owner of a tattoo parlor in Gotham." He said, giving them a closed mouth smile. They seemed to relax at this, as it attested for most of his appearance. The red lips, he's young and alternative, the green hair, again he's young, it's what young people do. It was such a simple lie, so smooth.

And oh how I wished it to be true.

The man spoke up "What part of Gotham?"

"Well I have two actually, one on the north side, very classy place, and one on the west side. As you can imagine, the west side gets a lot more customers, however the north side has better artists, myself included." He smiled at them again, and stretched, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. I leaned into him and smiled up at him, giving him a peck on the lips.

"How long have you two been dating?" the woman asked. I was taken aback, but smiled at her and answered before J had a chance.

"We've been dating a little less than a year." The lie was quick and easy. But a lie none the less.

Thankfully the questions ended after that, as the lights flashed, and all eyes turned toward the stage.

* * *

The show, which had started at 9, wasn't over till nearly midnight, but I felt fully awake. On the ride back, we talked about the musical, and I was taken aback by how much J knew about both the history, and the actual art form. He talked as if he'd studied music for years and history for even longer. He talked about the historical accuracy and inaccuracies, the characterization, even the grammatical correctness of the small amounts of French spoken. He seemed so at ease. So _normal._

I wondered then why he ever killed. He was obviously learned, why did he ever feel the need to cause harm? He could have been a businessman, a professor, anything really, with all of his charm and knowledge. I didn't understand. He was perfect, just like this. Happy, calm, comfortable.

We had just entered Gotham when there was a thud on the car. I cried out and both of J's hands flew to the wheel.

"FUCK!" He yelled, he slammed on the breaks, and a man in a black cape tumbled off the roof onto the street in front of us. J threw the car in reverse, and I heard him growl as the wheels squealed. He turned down an alley, and suddenly I heard a revving behind us. I looked in the side mirror and saw a sleek, black car following us.

"J?!" I yelled, looking at him wildly. He growled, eyes forward as he pressed on the gas.

"Can you swim?" he demanded, his knuckles locked on the steering wheel.

"What?" I asked, bewildered, peeling my eyes from the car behind us.

"SWIM! Violet, can you swim or not?!" He yelled. I saw it, ahead of us, there was water. Of course. The car goes in, we get out.

"Yes!" I said, and he let out a whoop of joy. The car jolted forward, and I braced myself. I felt the metal barrier hit the car, then water. J had opened the doors with a switch, and we began to sink like a rock. As we went down, down, the water black and cold, I felt J's hands at my seat belt. I could feel myself running out of air.

He grabbed my hand, and we began to swim. Up, up, finally, right as I was about to run out of air, we broke the surface. I gasped, spluttering, holding onto J's hand like my life depended on it. He looked at me as we treaded the water.

"You ok?" he asked, he didn't even look a little out of breath, yet I was taking in huge gasps of air. I nodded and looked around. There, in the dark distance, I saw the bank. Together we swam back to shore. As we crawled back onto the sand, he lied on his back, and let out a breathless laugh.

"Holy shit J!" I said, crawling next to him. I sat down, and drew my knees up to my chest.

"Some first date huh?" he giggled. I looked down at him, the water beading on his face, his hair splayed out and wet. I felt something stir in me. Looking around, I realized it was pitch black. There was no way anyone would see us.

I leaned over and kissed him, and kept kissing. Soon I was straddling him, hungrily grabbing at him, furiously, afraid to let go. He was just as desperate as me. I felt the buttons of his shirt and vest pop as I pulled it off of him. Hands fumbling, my panties being pushed aside.

Then he was in me. This wasn't like the first time. It wasn't gentle, or slow. It was fast, and needy. I was crying out, using his shoulders as leverage as I rode him. He groaned and mouthed at my neck and collar bone. One of his arms was around my waist, keeping me on his lap; the other was rubbing my clit harshly, and I cried out, kissing him as I came with a whimper.


	10. What Kind of Life?

A/N- I hope ya'll liked the last chapter! It's my second favorite part of the story, I reckon I'll upload two or three today, since it's Saturday and I'm off work. Big thanks to everyone who's reading! This is the first time I've ever written and finished a fic. I put a lot of my heart and soul into this, and I'm very grateful to those of you who are reading it!

~JP

* * *

You know the deal, POV switches,

J-Joker

V-Violet

F-Frost

D-Dawn

B-Batman/Bruce

A-Alfred

exc exc

* * *

I don't own the batfamily or any of the DC characters.

* * *

J

The walk to a pay phone was long. Both of us where soaking wet, and giggling madly. I couldn't help but feel bad about my precious car. Though I suppose I could buy another one. I looked at Violet. Maybe this one would be white, with a black interior. Just like my little Dove.

It was lucky that most everyone in Gotham recognized me. They parted quickly, and kept their eyes downcast. Finally we came to a gas station. The attendant looked both scared and shocked. What a vision we must have made. My shirt was torn open, and I was soaking wet, my hair had started drying into my natural curls, and my partner looked no better. Her hair hung in limp waves around her face. Her mascara and lipstick was smudged and smeared everywhere. We both looked an utter mess, but the attendant knew who I was. When I demanded a cell phone, he handed one over without complaint.

I dialed Frosts number, one of the only ones I knew by heart. "Ello?" I heard the groggy irritation in his voice, and remembered that I had given him the night off. A small pang of guilt reverberated in my body, and I made a mental note to add another bonus, on top of the first, to his paycheck.

"Frost." I said. I heard rustling, and a woman's voice.

"Hold on Em," he muttered away from the phone. I felt my eyebrow rise. I knew he had a soft spot for Emelina, I didn't know it was _that_ soft.

There was a rustling of fabric, and the opening and shutting of a door. "Boss?" he said, clearly this time.

"I had a run in with the Bat. The lambo is at the bottom of the bay. Violet and I are at 3rd and Arkham, the gas station. Where are you?" I asked, speaking quickly.

"At my loft boss, I'll be there in 15 minutes sir." There was the sound of an opening and closing door, then the sound of denim, jeans, and a zipper.

"Bring towels" I ordered, hanging up.

* * *

V

Fifteen minutes later, a sleek black Cadillac pulled up to the store; Frost stepped out of the car. He was dressed much more casually than I had ever seen. He was in dark denim jeans, and a simple black shirt, with simple tennis shoes on his feet. His hair had been messily pushed back into some semblance of normal, and his beard was askew. He quickly stepped into the gas station, towels in hand.

"Ms. Wardust" He said, smirking at me playfully.

"Mr. Frost" I replied with a grin.

We made our way out to the car, and as we sank into the plush leather, I groaned.

"What's wrong Dove?" J asked

"My phones at the bottom of a river, and I don't remember Dawns number." I replied, pouting out the window. I liked my phone.

J scoffed and shook his head, kissing my hair.

* * *

We were _finally_ back at the loft. The moment we got there, I stripped out of my wet clothes. I showered, and dived into J's bed, curling up under the sheets. He lightly kissed my forehead, and I turned, watching as he undressed in the bathroom. He kicked his clothes to the side, and stepped into his large glass shower. I turned back over and smiled to myself.

A few minutes later, J slid into bed next to me. His hair was still wet from the shower, and he was as nude as I was. I turned toward him and smiled at him. In the dark I saw his bright red lips lift in a smile. He kissed me lightly, and laid his head near my breasts. I smiled and brushed through his hair with my fingers. I idly looked over at the bedside clock, and wasn't surprised to see it was nearly 5AM. I kissed his head once more, and fell into a comfortable sleep.

* * *

We didn't stir till nearly 2 PM. I woke with a yawn, my stomach rumbling. J groaned, and rolled over, his broad back now on display. I traced his scars with my fingers. There were a lot of them. Some jagged like they'd been received in a fight, some smooth like a whip or a knife, some where circles of puckered, unnaturally smooth skin, burn marks. I kissed each one in turn, and heard J whimper quietly. I sat up more, and saw his face. His was tense, and there where small tears running down his face. I kissed his forehead and began to hum an old lullaby my mother used to sing to me. His face gradually relaxed, and his breathing evened out again.

I looked at the scared dark circles under his eyes, and decided that letting him sleep was the best course of action. I slid out of bed and opened his closet. There was a set of drawers on one side of the walk in closet, and clothes hung in an orderly fashion on the other. I pulled open a drawer and found undershirts, I wondered idly when he ever wore these. I pulled one on over my head, and opened another drawer. This one held boxers and socks. I closed it and opened another, this one had knives and I nearly laughed, but bite my lip to stop myself. I opened the next, piles of cash, another had ammo and guns, a drawer for his gun holsters, all of fine leather, finally a drawer with shorts in them. I pulled out a simple black pair of gym shorts and slipped them on, tightening the waist.

* * *

TUESDAY week 2

I was just fiddling with the coffee maker when Frost walked in.

"Ms. Wardust" He said, nodding at me. In his hands he held three bags. One was a high end lingerie brand, another a high end clothing retailer, the last one was the smallest, and had a familiar apple logo on it.

"Mr. Frost" I replied with a smile.

"Is J awake yet?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"Yes, I'm awake." Came J's voice as he exited his room. He had on a pair of sleep pants and no shirt. He made his way toward me, and pecked my lips, before reaching around me and pulling down a plain black mug.

"I had them set up the phones sir, and picked up some clothes for Ms. Wardust, the ones from last night should be back from the dry cleaners in a few hours." Frost said, setting down the bags on the kitchen counter.

"Good Frost, you're dismissed for now." He waved his hand, and Frost nodded, making his way toward the door.

"Oh and Frost." J called, smiling at the man over his coffee cup "Tell Emelina I said hello." Frosts cheeks reddened, and he nodded before exiting the apartment.

I looked at J, my brow raised. "Who's Emelina?" I asked him. He grined at me, amused.

"Well, and, I know you may not approve of this, but I run a small…. Ring of ladies in the red light district." My eye brows shot up in surprise. I knew he was a mob boss, but I guess I never thought of him as a pimp.

"Yeah, anyway, Emelina is one of my girls. Real sweet girl, she's doing this to work herself through college, a social service degree, I think. I don't know much about her, just that she's tough as nails, and has a sweet spot for kids. Yesterday, she got back to the club from her shift on the west side. She was a bloody mess. I was just going to tell the guy off, you know? Ban him from seeing my girls, and make him pay for all of Emelina's medical bills, and any work she had to miss. Frost though, I knew he had a sweet spot for her, but he asked me to make an example of the guy, and offered to cover Emelina's bills and what not. So I did, Frost is a good man, and a loyal worker. I'd rather not lose him, and to be honest, I was pretty mad at the guy too."

"Ok…." I said, still a bit confused. "So, what, you roughed the guy up? And what's that got to do with what you said to Frost?"

J grinned and winked at me. "Oh no, Dove, I didn't " _rough him up_ ", I did a lot more than that. Frost is very loyal, and hard working, so I oblige him where I can. And well, in all honesty, I had thought that Frosts soft spot for her went as far as a little sister, a friend maybe. But when I called him to pick us up last night, I heard him talking to Emelina." My brows shot up, and I gasped.

"Oh my Gosh! J that's so cute! They're like, in love! Oh my god that adorable!" I cried a gushy, faraway look on my face. J lifted a brow at me.

"I suppose so?" he said, shrugging and taking another sip of his coffee.

* * *

F

I pushed the twenty one on the elevator, I was a bit embarrassed, but also worried. J didn't like people that worked for him being involved together. Usually it ended in one of two ways, death, or expulsion from his protection. That almost always led to rivals taking them down for information. I knew that if J dropped me, I'd be dead in a week. Everyone in Gotham knew that I was the closest to J. Hell, I lived in his building. I was always with him, there was hardly a day I wasn't by his side, killing, protecting, all of it. I wasn't just J's body guard, I was his confidant, accountant, partner, and every once in a while, maid. And though he'd kill me for even thinking it, I often thought of myself as a baby sitter. J would go on mad sprees, and be over taken by euphoria, wondering off and completely forgetting himself. I was always there to gently guide him back home. More than a few times I'd found him wondering around after a fight with the Batman, cut, bruised, sometimes with broken bones, muttering to himself and crying. I was always the one to drag him home and bandage him up.

The more I thought about it, the more worried I became, not just for myself, but for Em. She was a semester out from her degree, and about to tell J she was done. When J took her in, they discussed how long she'd be with us, and J agreed to let her go when she finished her degree. Em wanted to move into her own place, she wanted me to go with her, or at least live there on my days off, not that I had a lot of those. I wanted that too.

I would always and always have been good at my job. I used to be in the armed forces, a sharp shooter for the US military. After I left, I couldn't adjust back into civilian life. I worked job after job, but I couldn't put my skills to use in any of them. The only educational background I had was in the military, so I was always shuffled down the ladder. My only asset to the legal workforce was being strong. I was much more than a strong body, though. I met J at his bar one night. I got into a fist fight, a little too drunk, a little too reckless, a little too frustrated. I was unlucky though, the guy I fought was J's man. J was amused by the fight, and gave me a job on the spot. Three months later, I had become J's right hand man, my training with both weapons and hand to hand combat, combined with my mind, made me useful to him. Soon enough I found myself living in his building, an entire floor to myself, totally in charge of his personal accounting. I kept the bills paid on time, I ran the background checks on maintenance, and cleaning crews, I had everything I could want. I was paid more than handsomely, and I was, to be quite honest, happier than I'd been since my honorable discharge.

Then I met Em. That was a year and a half ago. She had just started working for J, and the moment I saw her, I knew I wanted her in my bed. So I got her there. Then we started talking. I'd come down to her side of town to check on the girls, and she'd offer to get a cup of coffee with me. I told her no for nearly six months, and then finally, as it was my last task for that day, I said yes. We talked, and talked. She was so much more than a beautiful body and face; she was a brilliant mind inside a beautiful body. She wasn't like the other girls who walked the streets. She had goals, dreams, and plans for the future. I feel in love, and I fell hard. I started sneaking her into my loft on days off, I always felt like a normal couple on those days. I'd come home from working with J, and there she'd be, in sweats her hair piled onto her head, glasses on the edge of her nose. She was beautiful. And the way she smiled at me, I'd never felt that way before. I felt like I was going soft, and it worried me sometimes, but then she'd peck me on the cheek as I made my way out the door. "Be careful honey."

That was her way of saying I love you.

The elevator doors slid open, and I walked into the small lounge area outside my front door, a modem of privacy that J had built in for me. I unlocked the door, and there she was, standing over the stove. I could smell the stir fry cooking, and there were two glasses of wine laid out on the table.

I realized then that even if J did drop me, or kill me, I'd been able to live a _fulfilling_ life. My 36 years hadn't been wasted, and I was thankful for that.

* * *

V

Again, the new clothes where of high quality, but this time, there were quite a few outfits. A silver dress, a pair of black skinny jeans, a pair of acid wash denim shorts, a puffy black a-line skirt, a button down white blouse with ruffles on the front and a peter pan collar, a black T with a Joker card on the front, and sky blue shirt with a small white dove over the breast, a pair of patent leather Mary Janes, a new pair of converse, a set of night clothes, a black satin nightie with a matching robe, and a pair of fluffy pink bunny slippers. The lingerie bag was just as full, three sets of matching panties and bras, another nightie, this one dark purple and cotton instead of satin.

In the apple bag was a phone, the newest top of the line phone. When I slid it open, I looked through and realized all my pictures, videos, and apps had been downloaded. There was also a new phone case in the bag, a glittery purple/green/blue shade. It shifted in the light when I pulled it out, and it also had a power bank attached.

"J…" I muttered, holding up the phone. He smiled at me gently.

"Yes Dove?"

"J, this is way too much, I can't take this." I stared at him flatly, I couldn't take this. All of this must have cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Everything was name brand, and made of the finest quality. J pouted at me, his eyes going wide, reminding me of a kicked puppy.

"Why not Dove?" He leaned toward me, so close I could smell the coffee on his breath.

"J… This is all so expensive, I can't possibly-" He cut me off with a white finger on my lips.

"Hush, Dove. I have money to burn, literally. This is nothing to me Vi, this is literally pocket change. Please, take it. You need a phone, right?" he asked, his eyes where earnest, I could see scars under them, and wanted to kiss then gently, but resisted the urge.

"Well yeah, but-" I started around his finger

"And I ruined your phone, didn't I?" he asked, cocking a brow at me. I huffed and rolled my eyes.

"Yes…" I began again.

"And I ruined your dress, didn't I?"

"…..Yes…" I pouted at him around his finger

"Good, than its settled. And if you still feel bad about it…" he stood straight, and stretched his arms over his head, cocking a grin at me.

"You could always leave some of them here…. To wear later." I grinned at him, but then my face fell.

"oh, J, you know I can't." I said sadly, looking down into my coffee cup.

"Why not?!" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"J, Babe, I'm leaving soon. I have to go home. You know that." I didn't want to look in his eyes, I knew what I'd see, _heart break_. Something about us, it was this undeniable attraction. But I knew it would have to end. I had to rejoin the real world soon enough.

"Why?" he asked quietly, grabbing my hands in his. I met his eyes, and saw hurt.

"J, My life is back in Texas. You know that. I have school, a job, my family…" I trailed off, and he looked helpless for a moment.

"Why?!" he begged, his face pinched in pain. "Stay here, with me. You can enroll at Gotham University, you can get a job here, or not work at all, and your family, Dove, you can see them any time you like. It's not that long a flight from here to Texas!" he protested, pouting at me. I had to admit, the idea was tempting. Staying here, with him.

Being showered and pampered with all the gifts a girl could want, I wouldn't have a worry in the world. Not to mention the passion, and adventure. I'd never been an adventurous soul, but I have to admit, last night had been a rush. I couldn't help but think about our fuck on the shore. It was fast, and dirty, the passion and adrenaline pumping in my veins. I wanted that life. I wanted to be _bad_ with him. I wanted to learn how to use a gun, I wanted to spend my night running over Gotham's rooftops, screwing like rabbits, and punishing those who opposed us. I wanted a life where I was feared and respected. I wanted a life where the scum on the streets ran from me, and I had the freedom to destroy them.

But I _wasn't_ a violent girl.

I wasn't an adventurous girl,

Or a bad one.

I was a _good girl_ , a Christian, I went to church on Sundays, volunteered for vacation bible school every summer, I baby sat on the weekends, and went to my crappy retail job four times a week. I was the good girl, the sensible one, I kept myself together _always_. I hardly drank, and _never_ smoked, I was calm, and I was totally….. boring.

I sighed, and pulled my hands away. "I can't J. I mean, if _Dawn_ , who came to Gotham to be around depravity, is this opposed to us, how do you think my family would react?"

"Then don't tell them!" he protested, one hand on my cheek. "Why do they have to know? Can't you just tell them that you fell in love with the city? That you want to stay with your friend?"

"J, you know I can't. I mean, first off, there's the added tuition. Part of going to school in Texas is having in-state tuition. I'm not as well off as Dawns family-"

"I'll pay for it!" He pleaded.

"And how would I explain that to my mother?" I asked pointedly. He looked helpless for a moment, before a shine came over his face.

"A scholarship!"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, tell her you got a scholarship, and that you're going to live on campus."

"J, I can't do that. You know I can't." J suddenly grabbed my face, and kissed me hard.

"We have a week, right?" He murmured. I nodded and squinted at him. I could see the gears in his head turning.

"Let me try to convince you." He said, eyes imploring.

"What?" I asked

"Let me convince you. If, by your flight on Monday, you don't want to stay with me, here in Gotham, I'll let you go."

"Let me go?" I asked a pang of pain shooting through my heart. "As in, I can't see you anymore?" I felt my heart crack a little at the thought of never seeing him again.

"Yeah, let you go. As in you go back to Texas, and we try to make this work, from a distance." J looked out the large window. His brow furrowed. "Dove…. When you leave here, this spell, this, whatever it is, between us…. It'll fade out." He looked at me sadly.

I bit my lip. " _I know_ …." I whispered. I _knew_ it was true. So did he. Gotham was like a dream. A twisted dream, with a lot of nightmarish elements, but a _dream_ none the less. It was as if Gotham existed in its own dimension. Everything from J to the Batman was other worldly. So unlike the world I grew up in, there wasn't order, rules, there wasn't a set standard of how a person should be. Gotham was _seedy_ ; an underbelly of crime and scum, and J was their _king_.

And if I stayed, I could be their _queen_.

But if I left, I'd just be Violet. The normal girl next door. The one you trusted with your kids on a night out. The simple girl who was going to be a boring teacher. My life plan involved a teaching degree, a dog, and a one bedroom apartment.

What kind of life was that?


	11. Dinner with Dawn

A/n this is the longest chapter thus far, enjoy some more sassy Dawn.

* * *

POV switches,

V-Violet

J-Joker

B-Batman

D-Dawn

F-Frost

exc. exc.

* * *

I don't own any of the DC characters. Or Apple. Or Hamilton. Duh.

* * *

V

We stepped in the elevator half an hour later. It was by now, 3PM, and the plan was for me to head back to Dawns apartment. J had work to do today and tonight, so my plan was to try and get Dawn to let him have dinner there tomorrow. I wanted Dawn to see that he wasn't a danger to any of us, I wanted to see what life in Gotham would be like, my two lives (one so new I nearly didn't call it a life, more like an elongated dream) meshing together to create a new one.

J took my hand, and with his other hand, hit a button on the elevator. In my pocket was the new phone J bought me, and I was thinking, for the hundredth time, how glad I was that I'd forgotten my wallet at Dawns. I was so excited about going out with J, that I'd left it lying on the counter when I'd switched purses. The new phone he'd bought me was heavy in my back pocket. I had left the silky nighty in J's loft, along with the rabbit slippers.

I was hopeful that I'd be back.

The elevator descended quickly, and I held J's hand on the way down, leaning into his side. I was ready to see Dawn again, but being with him made me feel so much more than I'd ever felt in my life. To be totally honest, my life, while comfortable, was an unending stream of boredom. There was always a schedule, always a day to day monotony. I was grateful for the safety it provided, but being with J was so much more exciting. Despite the fact that I'd spent part of my night at the bottom of Gotham bay, I couldn't help but feel it was what life was meant to be.

The elevator doors glided open and revealed a small lounge area, much like the one outside J's loft. There was a black double door to our right, which J moved toward. He knocked sharply three times. There was a scuffle from the other side, and the door opened. Frost stood there, his jacket, and tie removed. The top three buttons on his white shirt where undone, revealing a chest with a light dusting of hair, his cuffs where also unbuttoned, and he looked at ease. I peeked around him, and realized that this must be his loft. There was a long semi-circular brown leather couch, which his jacket and tie where thrown over the back of. There was a small dining room table with the remnants of a lunch dish and two glasses of wine laid out. In the kitchen, which I could just see the edge of, was a girl, she was probably just a few years older than me, and very pretty. She obviously had some Samoan or Tongan blood in her. I recognized the distinctive features from the large population of Tongans in my old high school. Her hair was to her elbows, and pitch black, with a lovely wave that most would mistake for frizz, her face was lovely, and soft, very round, with full cheeks and a flat nose. On her nose was perched a pair of glasses that accentuated the lovely uplift at the corner of her almond shaped eyes. Her eyes where a dark brown, almost the same black as her hair, and very soulful, and her lips where a classic heart shape, and full, a dark brick pink color, nearly red. Her body was lovely, and the same strong shape I'd come to associate with islanders. Her hips where wide, her thighs strong, she was taller than me, probably about 5'8" or 5'9", her waist pinched in slightly, and her breasts where just above average sized, perhaps a C or small D cup, her shoulders broad, her upper arms where soft, not flabby, but very soft. She was all together beautiful, and had a very athletic body, her only marring was the bruises covering her lovely face, the splint on her hand, and cast in casing her left foot.

She limped over to Frost, her pink sun dress swooshing as she walked, I saw small cuts on her lower thighs, along with large, ugly bruises. One of her eyes had the marks of a healing bruise around it, and the left side of her face was slightly swollen. Her lovely lip was split open, but seemed to be healing cleanly. I wondered for a moment if Frost did this, but then remembered J telling me about "Emelina" during our brunch. This must be her. She stepped up beside Frost, and I had to admit, while it wasn't a very likely looking couple, they looked perfect together.

I suppose, because of Frosts monotone, disciplined nature, that I assumed him to be with someone the opposite. He was tall and broad, and since his job was protecting, I wrongly assumed that was the kind of girl he'd be with. Someone he needed to protect, and take care of. I was obviously wrong. This girl had a hard look, despite the smile she held. She looked as though she had a sharp mind, and could take you down in an instant. She was a strong, statuesque woman.

"Boss?" said Frost, standing tall, but I was confused to see something like fear in his eyes.

"Mister J." said Emelina, now standing beside Frost, her hand and his linked.

"Frost, Emelina." J said in greeting, nodding his head. Frost moved minutely in front of Emelina, as if ready to shield her. I looked at J, confused. He cocked a brow at Frost and Emelina.

"I need to take Vi home, Mr. Frost." Said J, brow still raised. Frost swallowed, but nodded. He turned to Emelina, and kissed her cheek, before releasing her hand and putting on his jacket suit. He grabbed a pair of keys off the wall beside the door, and motioned to the elevator, stepping out of his loft. He looked back at Emelina, and kissed her soundly once more, before closing the loft door with a soft click.

* * *

F

I felt anxiety running through me. The ride down was nearly silent, J and Violet where behind me, muttering and laughing to themselves. I was worried about what J would say or do once we where alone. I remembered vividly the last guy who'd gotten into a relationship with one of his, co-workers seemed to normal a word, collage I suppose would be better. His name was Nathan, and he'd gotten into a relationship with one of J's dancers, Anya, J only found out because Anya had begun missing work, and Nathan had been turning up late. I remember we were supposed to leave and visit the drug dealer who ran the lower south side, he had shorted us nearly 12K two weeks in a row. J was understandably frustrated with this, considering he not only provided protection for the man, but also supplied his drugs. We were supposed to leave at noon, as he left his house around three and went to the local park to meet with his lackeys most days. The plan was to get into his apartment, figure out why he wasn't paying, and scare him into cooperation, or kill him. We were all supposed to meet at the club by 11 AM, Nathan didn't show up till 1:30AM. The whole plan was blown, we didn't have time to make it to the man's apartment, and by the time we got another opportunity to get at the guy, he had skipped town without telling anyone.

J had me follow him around and figure out why he was late all the time, and I reported to him that he was seeing Anya. J got angry, furious really, that Nathan was fucking up his job for some girl. He confronted Nathan, who denied the whole thing. This was obviously a lie.

Nathan was still alive, and Anya still worked for J, but Nathan had lost his tongue that day. He now worked as an accountant for J's club, keeping the books, making sure the records where tax appropriate, so as to not arouse unnecessary suspicion from the law.

* * *

Finally the elevator dinged open; I led the way to a black SUV, and respectfully opened the door for both J and Violet. Violet climbed in, and J clapped me on the shoulder before sliding in after her.

We pulled up outside the apartment building of Violets friend. "I'll be back in a minute" J said as he got out of the car. He made his way over to Violets side, and opened her door, holding out his hand for her. I recognized the look on his face; it was the same look I got when I looked at Em. I wondered how this girl had wrapped J, a cold blooded murderer, around her finger so fast.

As I watched them enter the building, I thought about the last girl J had fallen for. He had originally meant to just use her. She was new, and vulnerable, and J had seen the madness underneath her fancy degrees. Dr. Harleen Quinzel. He'd made her snap in less than a month. J had gotten out of Arkham, with the lovely little blonde hair blue eyed doctor on his arm. Their relationship had been bloody, and wild. J was more fearless, more violent, and merciless when he had her.

Then he tried to make her like him. I didn't know everything about his origin, but I knew it involved Ace chemicals, he told me once that the chemical waste was like acid. He'd fallen in, and instead of dying, he'd been bleached, his once brown hair turning green, and tan skin turning chalk white. His lips, because of the blood vessels being so close to the skin, had turned cherry red. The chemicals, from what he told me, hadn't been all bad. He said he noticed that he aged slower, and healed quicker. I was surprised when he told me that he was in his thirties. He looked as if he was barely 25.

He had wanted Harleen, Harley as she was called by now, to jump in. And Harley wanted it too. They wanted to be together, and to be alike. So she did it. She jumped in. I had been outside in the car, waiting patiently for them to reemerge from the warehouse, when I heard him screaming. It wasn't a laughing scream; it wasn't a triumphant caw of victory. This was the sound of a wounded animal; it was a sound of pure _sorrow_. I rushed into the building, and saw him there. He was on the cat walk that ran like a grid between all the vats, desperately trying to revive Harley's lifeless corpse. They were both covered in the slim of the acid, their clothes melting away, Harley was bleached, the same as him. Her once golden hair was nearly white, just a shade darker than her pale skin. J was crying, desperately compressing her chest, he was letting out screams of frustration.

Harley wasn't moving. I didn't dare move towards J, I was scared, I'd never seen him like this. This was pure madness, not the calculated psychoses he portrayed to the public, this was a desperate, heartbroken madness. It took a long time, nearly an hour, before he stopped administering CPR, and began to let out screaming sobs of pain. He grabbed her body, and pulled it close to his chest, sobbing and crying out loudly. He looked up at me, and in between sobs, stuttered. " _W-Why isn't she w-w-waking up?_ " He looked down at her, and hiccuped. " _Harls? B-Baby? Y-you got me? P-p-…please, get up?_ " he stroked her cheek and cried out in pain when she didn't move.

I felt so helpless, my heart breaking for him. I'd only been his employee for about two and half years by that point, but I still knew him better than most anyone else did, and I felt responsible for him as if it was my job to watch out for the human part of him. And here he was, broken, shattered. We where there for another hour, before he stood, Harley cradled to his chest like a child, he sniffled, and I led him out of the warehouse, holding him up when he staggered under Harley's weight and his own sorrow.

We watched from afar as they buried Harleen Quinzel 3 days later. The police had found her body, posed and cleaned gently, lying in a bed of flowers outside the graveyard the morning after she died. J had stayed up all night and cleaned her, dressing her in her jester outfit, which she had worn while helping break him out of Arkham, gently brushing out her white blonde hair, and creating a beautiful halo of flowers and leaves around her body. In her clasped hands, he'd laid a small bouquet of roses, white and red.

After her funeral, J didn't leave his loft for 2 months. I came in twice a day and tried to make him eat, drink, and bathe. He just sat or lay in his bed, staring out at Gotham's skyline. His eyes where blank, his mouth slack. During those two months, I cared for him like a baby, I spoon fed him, bathed him, and brushed his teeth. He didn't acknowledge any of it. It was like he didn't notice me man handling his now frail body.

One day I came in, and instead of laying in his bed, wrapped in one of his robes, he was sitting in his living room. He was dressed, bathed, and there was a bowl of half eaten oatmeal on the counter, along with the remnants of some coffee.

" _Boss?_ " I asked, approaching cautiously. He was staring at a picture in his hands, Harley at her college graduation, just a few months before she and J met.

" _I asked her if she'd live for me._ " He said, his fingers ran down the picture.

" _She said she would…_ " he muttered. I was right behind him now, and I saw a tear splash onto the photo, bouncing off of the frame it was in. I laid my hand on his shoulder hesitantly. He put his hand over mine.

" _If she'd live for me…_ " he said, taking in a shaky breath, " _I have to do the same for her._ "

He did most of his work from the comfort of his loft for the rest of that year, only leaving when he needed to kill or punish someone disobeying his rules. He never went back to his old self though. He was more subdued, more, _sane_ almost. He was a lot quieter in private, and even in public. He was no longer the boisterous, violent mad man he had been. He was still just as vicious when he needed to be, and just as powerful as ever. No one dared cross him, while he wasn't as creative or patient with his torture, he still wasn't afraid to waste someone at the drop of a dime.

That was years ago, but he'd never been the same after Harley Quinn.

I couldn't help but wonder how this girl had brought him back to life. He was more honest, and his mind seemed more together. But I still felt the need to watch over him, to care for him like a child.

J exited a few minutes later. He was smiling, hands in his pockets as he strolled lazily toward the car. I moved to get out, but he saw me, and held up his hand. He opened the front passenger door, and slid in next to me.

"Where to boss?" I asked, resisting the urge to gulp nervously. He sat back in the seat and sighed dreamily, before opening his eyes. He pulled out his phone, and scrolled through it.

"I need to go to the club. I took a look at the books on my laptop this morning; it looks like Nathan is getting lazy. Then we need to go by Sarah's place. She hasn't been to work in a few days. I'm sure it's just something to do with her kid, but I want to make sure her boyfriend isn't back in town. We also need to drop by Lt. Johnston's home. He's been getting a little…. Out of line. I want to know why. Bring the body bags for that one. He may need to visit my car at the bottom of the bay."

"Yes sir." I said obediently, slipping the car into drive. As we glided towards the club, I saw him look over at me out of the corner of my eye.

"Are you ok Frost? You seem… extra tense today?" he asked. I swallowed nervously, and cleared my throat.

"Well, boss, to be honest, I'm a little concerned." I admitted hesitantly.

"Concerned?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Yes sir." I replied, both eyes on the road. "I know you don't like your people dating one and other… I remember what happened to Nath-"

"Nathan had his tongue cut out because he was a liar, and an idiot. Not because he was with Anya." J cut me off, rolling his eyes. "I don't care that you're dating Emelina, Frost. You don't let it interfere with your work, and you didn't lie to me about it when confronted."

I looked over at him, quickly, confused, before looking back at the road. "Huh." I said, and he threw his head back, laughing loudly.

* * *

D

"Come on Dawn!" Vi pleads, oh my fucking _lord_. It's been half an hour, and she still won't let it go.

"No!" I say, again, for the _millionth_ time. How can she ask me to allow a murderer in my home? Honestly, he's already fucking with my best friend, both physically and mentally. She's spent two nights with him, off doing god knows what, and each time she comes home dressed in fancy clothes. Today she came back at _3 FUCKING PM_ , dressed in brand name jeans, new converse, and a shirt with a fucking joker card on it. Oh hardy hardy har, Jesus, I'm _terrified_ for her. I feel like she's loosing her mind!

"Why not?" she whines, I know if I turn around, her sea green eyes will be pouting at me, so I stay facing my refrigerator.

"Because, Vi!" I cry out in exasperation, throwing up my hands. "He's a _killer_!"

"It's part of his _job_!" She argues, and I face her, incredulously. My god, she really _has_ lost it.

"Vi, what if this ends badly, huh? You know he can and will kill you!" I try to reason with her. Her face suddenly turns down from a pout to a grimace.

"No! Dawn, he, look, I don't know what it is but….. He's not what you think." She argues, her voice getting quieter. I furrow my brow at her, and sigh.

"How, Vi? Because all _I've_ heard the two years I've lived here is how he's killed people mercilessly. He's a murderer." I look at her, pleading in my eyes. She looks at me and shakes her head.

"No, I mean, _yes_ , but no. Please, Dawn, just one meal? Just give him one meal to prove how much he lov- cares for me." My eyes widen. I caught that. She was about to say "love", she's falling in love with him. I'm worried, and wonder once again if I shouldn't call her mother. But then I remember, were not kids anymore, and I can't make her mom fly out here and drag Violet home, even if it _would_ be for her own best interest.

"Fine." I mutter, if only to shut her up. She squeals in delight, and grabs my arms, jumping up and down.

"OHMYGOSHDAWNTHANKYOU!" the words fall out of her mouth as a jumbled mess, and I roll my eyes.

"On one condition!" I say, pointing my finger at her.

"Of course!" she cries, a grin on her face, "anything Dawn!" I turn down my mouth at her, and squint my eyes.

"Jer comes, and the Joker doesn't bring any weapons." I'm fully aware that Jer wouldn't stand a chance against the Joker, but having him there would still make me feel safer. Violet nods excitedly, and I suddenly find my arms full of her, and my face buried in her long black hair.

"Of course! Oh Dawn, thank you thank you thank you!" She's squeezing me so hard, I choke, and tap on her arm.

* * *

"AIR!" I wheeze, and she immediately lets go.

"Oops, sorry, I'm just excited. I'm gunna text J now!" She pulls out her phone, and I'm taken aback. It's not her old phone, which was two models out of date, but a brand new top of the line iPhone.

"What the hell is that?" I ask, pointing at the phone.

"Huh?" she says, looking up from the screen. "Oh! Yeah, there was kind of…. An accident last night. I dropped my phone in the water, so J bought me a new one this morning. Isn't the case cute?" she says, holding it out to me. I roll my eyes in disbelief, and groan.

"He bought you a thousand dollar phone?!" I ask in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know." She rolls her eyes affectionately. "I told him I couldn't accept it, or the clothes, but he's just so sweet!" I'm suddenly taken by the urge to slap her, which I resist only by groaning and walking away from her.

* * *

WEDNESDAY week 2

V

I wake up the next morning, and slide off of Dawns couch, giddy with excitement. I head down to the grocery store and buy everything necessary to make a nice dish. I have appetizers, main courses, and dessert, before I realize that I want to buy a bottle of wine, I whip out my new phone, and call Dawn.

"Dawn…" I say sweetly as she groans.

"What, Vi?" she asks, yawning tiredly.

"Ummmm, I'm kind of at the store?" I say. She's quiet for a moment.

"So?" she asks, obviously not impressed.

"Well, I want to get a bottle of wine, but I'm only twenty, so I was wondering if you could…"

"No." she snaps, and the line goes dead. I huff and pout at my phone. Honestly, she's being so uncooperative.

I get home half an hour later, and Dawn is gone. There's a note on the dining room table " _Gone out with Jer, be back by 5. Text me what kind of wine you want, and what time **he's** going to be there.-D_ " I grin down at the note, and feel fondness bubble in my chest.

* * *

J

My phone buzzes, and I pull it out of my pants pocket, looking away from the accounting I've been doing on my laptop.

 _Hey babe-V_

I grin at my phone, and eagerly reply, happy to hear from my Dove.

 _Hey Dove, what's up sugar?-J_

 _I was wondering what time you wanted to come over for dinner?-V_

 _You managed to convince Dawn?-J_

 _Oh yes, I can be very vexing/persuasive when necessary :p –V_

 _Ha! Ok, well how about 7? I have a meeting at 6, it's on the way to Dawns place, I should be done by 6:30-6:45. Sound good?-J_

 _Perfect! Er, I have another question?-V_

 _Sure, what's up?-J_

 _What kind of wine is good for a chicken dish?-V_

I wonder for a moment why she expects me to know that, but then I remember that she's seen me in my cultured areas. She knows I'm learned on most everything, courtesy of Bruce, not that she knows that part.

 _Do you want red or white?-J_

 _I've only ever had white?-V_

 _I'll bring something babe.-J_

 _You don't have to do that, Dawn is out; she offered to pick some up.-V_

 _It's customary for a guest to bring a bottle, I'll bring it sugar.-J_

 _Ok if you say so.-V_

 _Oh! I almost forgot, Jer will be here, and Dawn doesn't want you to bring any weapons, is that ok?-V_

My mouth turns down, and I debate for just a moment, before replying to her.

 _Of course Dove, anything for you.-J_

Honestly, I think, we're not going to get into any fights, and I'm a lot faster and stronger than any of them. I don't really _need_ any weapons.

* * *

V

I spend the better half of the day cooking. I prepare, chop, and heat everything necessary. The dessert, a chocolate cake, should be served cool, and the appetizer, sushi rolls with wasabi sauce, needs to be chilled before it's served. About four, I start getting dressed.

I wear the black skirt, white blouse, and Mary Jane's that J bought me, my hair is piled on top of my head, a few little strands falling down artfully here and there. I'm wearing a fake set of pearls and my lips are a bright red, nearly the same shade as J's.

I'm standing over the sauce for the chicken, a red and white apron thrown over my outfit, when Dawn gets home, Jer behind her, it's just past six, and I'm relieved she made it home before J got there.

"Hey!" she says, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Hi!" I say cheerfully, smiling at her and Jer.

"A. What's with the 50's house wife get-up? and B. You never texted me which wine to get, so I didn't get one. Want me to go grab one before he gets here?" She asks; leaning against the counter and watching me cook. I giggle and blush.

"J's picking up a wine, and, well, J got these clothes for me…. And I kind of like them. You know I love poofy anything…" She hums and rolls her eyes at me.

"Kay, well, I'm going to change. What time is he getting here?" She says, pushing off of the counter.

"He'll be here by 7, so _hurry_!" she rolls her eyes, and waves a hand at me.

"Yeah yeah yeah." She mutters as she moves into her room. The door closes with a quiet click. Jer and I are left in the main room. I give him a smile, and turn back to the sauce, stirring it so that it doesn't burn.

"Er..." he says, obviously uncomfortable. We've never really been alone before, so we're both a little awkward. "Um, can I help you do anything?" he asks awkwardly.

"Yeah, actually, can you set the table? We'll need water glasses, and wine glasses, J is bringing a bottle, I'm not sure if it needs to be chilled though, so you can just leave the wine glasses in here." Jer nods at me, and moves into the kitchen. My mary janes click on the linoleum as I move closer to the stove top, allowing him room in the tiny kitchen.

Jer sets the table, and I'm just pulling out the appetizers when my phone buzzes.

 _Be there in 10 babe.-J_

I grin, and start laying out the first course while Jer cuts the chicken. We'll put the sauce, which is still warm, on just before we eat. I'm pleased that everything turned out well, and that nothing is burnt.

"Dawn!" I call as I lay out the napkins. Her bedroom door opens and closes.

"I'm here, I'm here!" she says. I turn and smile at her. She's wearing an emerald green cocktail dress that shows off her legs and hips. Her hair is half up, half down, and she's applied a dark pink lipstick. Her feet are still bare, but she makes her way over to the closet behind the front door, and pulls out a pair of nude sandals, slipping them on. Jer is wearing a simple white button down, and khaki slacks with a pair of brown leather dress shoes. His hair, which is _way_ too long, in my personal opinion, is pulled back into a low pony at the nape of his neck. His beard, which is usually scraggly looking, has been combed through, and now looks far neater. He looks less like John Lennon at his worst and more like Jesus at his best.

"Y'all clean up nice!" I say with a grin. Dawn rolls her eyes, and kisses Jer lightly on the cheek. He grins, and I see him blush a little.

Just then a knock comes from the door. I light up like a firefly, and open the door. J is standing there, smiling at me, his silver teeth glinting in the light. I flutter forward, and peck him on the lips, and I feel him smile.

"Hey my lil' Dove." He says lowly, his blue eyes piercing me. I blush, and step aside, letting him in. In one hand, he has a single white rose, and a bottle of red wine. The other hand holds a small box. He smiles at me and winks, stepping in.

"Ms. Mulligan." He says to Dawn in greeting. She smiles at him tightly, obviously distasteful. He presents her with the bottle of wine.

"Thank you very much." She says politely, moving into the kitchen to open and pour the wine. J turns to me, and hands me the white rose.

"For you, Dove." He murmurs, winking at me. He then looks up at Jer, who, bless his heart, looks both awed and terrified.

"Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm J." He says, holding out his hand. Jer looks at it for a moment, before sticking out his own hand.

"I'm, uh… Jer. I'm Jeremiah Dooer. Dawn's boyfriend." He says dumbly, staring at J still.

 _Poor kid_ , I think to myself. J and Jer sit down across from one and other at the dinner table, and I see J set the box on the counter and send me a small wink. My heart flutters in my chest for a moment, before I help Dawn carry everything to the table.

Appetizer, and dinner goes smoothly. J and I tell Dawn and Jer about Hamilton, and we all talk easily about life in Gotham. It feels like there should be awkwardness, but there isn't. I tell Dawn about Frost and Emelina, and we both " _awww_ " together, while J chews his chicken, a small smile on his face, and Jer quirks an eyebrow at us, muttering something about girls.

Then I take dessert out, and everything goes to hell in a hand basket.

"So, er, do I call you J, or Joker?" Dawn asks, a little tipsy.

"J's fine." He replies, smiling at her easily.

"Ok, J, how come Vi came home with a different phone? And why do you always send her home in different clothes?" Dawn giggles. I blush, and my eyes go wide, I stare at her pointedly, and grab J's hand.

"Oh, well…" he says. He coughs and shifts in his seat. "There was an accident, and we sort of wound up in the water…" he explains, "So I just had Frost grab her some new clothes and a different phone." There's silence, and I take a nervous sip of my wine.

"Ok, cool. But you know she's leaving in a week, right?" Dawn slurs, taking another sip of her wine, her second glass.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." J replies smugly. I blush and look at him pointedly.

"Wait, what?" Dawn asks, sobering up in a moment. I squeeze J's hand, and give him a panicked look. He ignores it.

"Well, I'm trying to convince her to stay here. Maybe go to Gotham Uni? She can live on campus or with me." J says, stretching his arm around my shoulder. I see Dawn's eyes move from J to me, fury on her face.

"Vi, you're not going to, right?" she says, nearly a hiss. I shift in my seat, and look down. J is looking at me, his body language screams casual comfort, but his eyes are solemn, and I swallow.

"I-… I don't know yet. I'm thinking about it." She slams her wine glass down on the table, and the stem breaks, luckily it's empty, so when it tips over, only a drop of red wine spills out.

"You can't be serious!" she cries out, flying out of her seat.

"Look, Dawn-" I try to reason.

"No! You look, Vi! What about your mom? How do you think you're going to be able to pay for GU, huh? What about your career? How do you expect to be a teacher if you're dating the most infamous criminal in Gotham?!" she yells in frustration, glaring daggers at me.

"Dawn, I'm not, nothing is set in stone, ok? I probably won't stay. I mean, I know I have to go home at _some point_ …."

"No! Not at _some point_! You have to go home on _Monday_! That's in less than a week, and if I have to hog tie you, you're getting on that plane and going home!" she nearly screams, glaring at me.

"Dawn, please?" I beg meekly. She growls, and throws her hands up.

"You're such a hypocrite!" she says in exasperation.

"What?" I ask, taken aback.

"You threw a huge hissy fit when I came here, and now _you_ want to move here so you can keep dating a _criminal_?! I mean _really_? You didn't want me going here because of criminals like the Joker!" her arms are crossed over her chest now, and she's glaring at me. I suddenly feel shame bubble in me.

"It's different!" I try to argue.

"Oh yeah, you're right, it is. _I_ moved here to get away from my over bearing father, and to go to school, _you're_ moving here so you can be with him! You are literally wanting to moving here to become a criminal's accomplice!" she's so angry, her face is nearly red. I stand, throwing my napkin on the table.

"No! You moved here to run away from everything! I'm thinking about it to _create_ something! Do you know how dull and _useless_ my life is there? Day after day is always the same! Nothing changes, I want it for the same reason you did!" I argue. She throws her hands up in frustration.

"No! You can't move here Vi! This place is a _shit hole_! If it wasn't for the freaking Bat, god knows I'd be dead!"

"Wait, what?" says J, leaning forward and looking at her.

"You heard me." She sneers at him.

"He's saved my life at least half a dozen times. He saved me from muggers, rapists, and mad men. He's the only _good_ part of this city."

"Hey!" cries Jer indignantly, Dawn rolls her eyes and looks at him.

"Aside from _you_ , obviously." She mutters.

J laughs, and throws his head back."Really? You think the _Bat_ is good? You think he's a _hero_?" J says, looking at her in disbelief. Dawn looks at him with suspicion.

"Yes." She states simply.

J huffs and rolls his eyes. "Bats is a _villain_. He takes innocent people and bends them to his will. He uses that stupid cowl to manipulate people. He's got the police commissioner, mayor, and most of the business world in his pocket!" J hisses out. His eyes are dark and angry. Dawn tilts her head.

"Wh- what do you mean?" she mutters, glaring at him.

" _I mean_ , he's a manipulative asshole. You know about Robin?" J says.

"Yes," says Dawn, "I know _you_ killed him." J scoffs and rolls his eyes.

" _I_ didn't kill Robin, _Batman_ did. He snapped that kid up off the streets, and promised him the world, as long as he put his life on the line _everyday_! Batman _forced_ that kid to become a little sidekick and deprived him of a normal life! Batman is a menace, he's worse than me. At least I'm _honest_ about what I am! He calls himself a hero, and uses people to get what he wants." J's jaw is tight, and his nose is turned up in a snarl of anger.

Dawn looks uncertain for a moment, flabbergast. "He's saved my life…" she argues weakly, obviously shocked by J's outburst.

"Of course he has." J hisses, taking another swallow of his wine. "That's what he _does_. He saves you, and you become endeared to him. He gets off on people worshiping him like a god. That's why he does it. He doesn't actually care about saving people, hell, if anything he's done more harm than good. The criminals of this city are narcissists. They get off on attention. Batsy takes that attention from them. Instead of their crimes being published and whispered about on the streets, his so called _heroic acts_ are glorified by the media! The criminals get mad, and try harder. Instead of robbing a bank, they go on a killing spree and take innocent lives, just to get some fucking attention. Batman is the _real_ villain of Gotham."J stands, and Dawn takes a step back. He closes his eyes for a moment, and I see his jaw tick in anger.

Then his phone rings. He whips it out and answers, slipping into his work mode. "J." he barks. There's muttering on the other end and J groans, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm with Violet. Where is he?" more muttering.

"How the hell did he get that far away?!...Well fine, ok , fine. Just. God, I don't know….I can't! I don't have any weapons with me right now…Of course I can, but I'm not stupid enough to bring my fists to a gun fight, Frost!...have Daniels and his squadron cut him off at the bay. Then detain him…No! No, don't kill him. As much as I hate his guts, the guys useful. Just detain him…Yeah the warehouse is fine…Yes, fine….. 20 minutes….how close are you?...that close?...ok, ok, come pick me up…. Yeah, that's fine, see you in 5." J huffs in annoyance, and puts his phone in his pocket. He looks around at us.

"I gotta go" he mutters, looking at me. I stand from my seat, and squeeze his hand.

"Hold on." He says, grabbing the small box from the table. He take's my hand, and makes his way to the door. Before he goes, he turns back to Dawn.

"Thank you, Ms. Mulligan, for allowing me in your home. Sadly, I need to take my leave. I have work to attend to. Jeremiah." He says nodding at Jer, who's wide eyed, and raises his hand while nodding at J. J tugs on my hand, and opens the door, pulling me into the hallway outside Dawn's apartment.

"I'm sorry about that…" he says, looking at me regretfully. I smile at him sadly, and kiss him.

"J…." I trail off, and look in his earnest blue eyes before continuing. "J, will you tell me one day? About the Batman? You know him, personally, and you knew Robin, didn't you." J gulps and looks down.

"Yeah..." he says. "I knew them, _personally_." I put my hand on his cheek, and he looks up at me. "One day…" he whispers, leaning forward and kissing my forehead. "One day, I'll be able to tell you, my lil' Dove. But not today." He uses his free hand to push a stand of hair behind my ear.

"I wanted to give this to you at the end of a lovely meal with nice company. Sadly, things got a little tense, so…" He holds up the box, and smiles at me sheepishly. I smile at him, and take the box.

I take off the lid, and gasp. Inside the box, lying on a satin pillow, were two cuffs. One was white gold, and dotted with sparkling diamonds, the other one was simpler, and yellow gold. In the middle lay two tiny screw drivers, one yellow gold, the other white gold. I recognized them instantly. They where semi-permanent bracelets'. The idea was that your partner put the bracelet on you, using the screw driver to unlatch it, then they kept the screw driver, either on them always, or in a safe place, and the bracelet couldn't be removed by the wearer. The screw drivers where on silken cords, and I met J's eyes, astonished. He smiled at me softly.

"May I?" he asked kindly. I nodded dumbly, and held out my left hand. With my right hand, I held the box as he worked. He deftly unscrewed the bracelet, set it on my wrist, and re-screwed it. The bracelet fit perfectly, not too tight, and not too loose. I smiled at him, and kissed him gently. He slid the cord over his neck, and tucked the small silver screwdriver into his shirt. He took the box from me, and presented his left wrist. I put the bracelet on him, just as he had done for me, and then slipped the screwdriver over my head, tucking it into my blouse. I smiled at him, glowing with joy.

"Vi…" he whispered, I could smell the wine on his breath, he was so close that I could feel his chest pressed against mine.

"J?" I muttered back, my hands lying on his chest. One of his hands wound in my hair, pulling me against him in a hug.

"Stay with me?" he asked. I hugged him tightly, but didn't answer.

We stayed like that for a few moments, just holding one and other. His arms wrapped around my shoulders, and mine wound around his slim waist. He kissed my hair every now and then, and I sighed, feeling so at peace in that moment.

Then his phone buzzed. He pulled back, and looked at the phone. He smiled at me sadly, and slid it back into his pocket.

"Gotta run, babe."

"Be safe." I said. It slipped out before I could stop myself. That was how I'd always said "I love you". I said it to Dawn, to my sisters, anyone I loved. His eyes went wide for a moment in shock, like he _knew_ , before they softened into something like desire. He grabbed me suddenly, and kissed me hard. His hands where in my hair, holding my head to him, I gripped at his shirt, and let out a small sound of surprise. His lips dominated me, desire, passion, and longing rolling off him in waves. He was hungry and needy, softening to little pecks when his phone buzzed again. He finally pulled back, and I gasped. I was breathless, and filled with affection for him.

"Come back to me?" I asked quietly.

"Always, baby." He whispered. He pulled back and kissed my forehead, before parting from me. He brushed my hair out of my face once more, and squeezed my hand before moving away from me. I watched him as he turned and walked down the hall towards the elevator. When he stepped into the elevator, he looked back at him, and I saw him smirk and wink. I grinned and blew him a kiss as the elevator doors slid closed.

* * *

The bracelets are Cartier LOVE bracelets. Violets is the style 10 Diamonds, in white gold

J's is the style is the yellow gold with four diamonds.

Sorry, I cant figure out how to put in the link for it, so you'll have to use google. :/ sorry ya'll

Remove the spaces to see it.


	12. Batsy Makes an Apperance

A/N- this is my last chapter for today guys. There's only like 5 or 6 left after this.

* * *

POV switches.

B-Batman

A-Alfred

J-Joker

F-Frost

V-Violet

D-Dawn

exc.

* * *

I don't own anything except the OC's.

* * *

J

"Boss." Frost greeted as I walked out of Dawn's building.

"Frost." I replied, taking the gun holster he offered me. I slid it over my shoulders, and adjusted it, before putting in my gun. I slid in next to him in the front seat; at my feet was a duffel bag. Knives, guns, and an array of terrifying torture instrument, all sharpened and polished to perfection, rested in there. Frost walked around the car, his sharp eyes looking everywhere, always on alert for danger. He climbed into the driver's seat, and the SUV started with a purr.

"What's going on? Why was he running?" I asked as we pulled away. Frost scoffed and shook his head.

"We found out he's been embezzling from the club earlier yesterday. He's been keeping a low profile though. Nathan spotted him today on 15th street, trying to pick up the new girl, Mary-Ann, he texted me an hour ago. I guess Lionel saw him though, and he took off. By the time we were able to spot him again, he was almost out of town. I sent Daniels in, and they cut him off. His car is totaled, but he's fine, just a few scrapes and bruises. We've got him at the north warehouse, under watch obviously, right now. We found some recording equipment in his car, we think he's working with Gotham PD to try and take us down. He's not said anything yet though." I groan and slam my head into my side window, irritated.

"Fine." I hiss, "I'll make him talk when we get there, you searched him for wires, and tracking devices, right?" I ask.

Frost nods, "Yes, boss. I had Morgan do it. Daniels is a great strategist, but he's still a bit dumb."

"That's the fuckin' truth." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

Frost smirked, and turned onto the main road.

* * *

V

I was stroking my new bracelet when I reentered the apartment. Dawn was standing at the sink, quietly rinsing off dishes and filling the dish washer. She looked up at me, a mix between guilt and concern on her face.

"Where'd he go?" she asked, placing a plate in the dish washer, she had stripped off her heels, and was wearing an apron. Jer was standing on the other side of the sink, drying and putting away the wine glasses.

"He had work to do." I said dreamily, kicking off my shoes and making my way to the couch. My eyes never left the white gold bracelet, whose diamonds sparkled in the dim kitchen light.

"Oh…" said Dawn, turning back to the sink. "Look, Vi…" she said, taking in a slow gasp of air. "I don't, agree with him, but I mean, obviously there's a lot more to him than he lets on. I don't like it but, I mean, I can stay out of it." She looked up at me, brown eyes guarded.

"Thank you." I said as I pulled bobby pins from my hair, letting it fall gracefully around my shoulders.

"That said." She continued, one hand on her hip, looking at me through squinted eyes. "You're not _actually_ thinking about moving here, are you? I mean, you've only known the guy a week!" She reasoned with me. I bit my lip, and played with the bracelet on me wrist. Jer had stopped drying and was staring at us. He was always so quiet around me, but I could tell he agreed with Dawn on this.

"I mean, look Dawn, it's tempting, don't get me wrong. The rich, dangerous bad boy, with a rockin' body." I sighed dreamily, and saw Jer's face twist in distaste, before he pecked Dawn on the cheek.

"This sounds like girl talk!" he announced with a fake gag, he left the kitchen, and stepped into Dawn's bathroom. A moment later, we heard water start running, Jer was taking a shower, leaving us with some privacy.

Dawn looked back at me, her brow furrowed. "Vi…" she murmured, removing the apron, and moving into the living room. I scooted over as she sat down next to me, turned slightly so she could look me in the eye. "What about your mom? School? Your job? Your whole life is in Dallas." She pointed out, cocking a brow at me, a frown on her face.

I sighed, and put my face in my hands. "I know, I know Dawn, I _know_ I have to go home, I know that I have to go back to my normal life, but _god_ …. I mean, you see it don't you? You see the appeal? I mean, you wouldn't have moved into this city if you couldn't!" I looked back at her, my face sad. She twisted her mouth at me, and patted me on the shoulder.

"Yeah." She said, casting a look toward the closed bathroom door. "Jer used to be in and out of trouble. He was a small time thief, stealing car parts, shoplifting, that kind of thing. He didn't start straightening out till he met me." She smiled fondly, before looking at me hard. "That doesn't mean you can change a guy though! Jer wanted to change, he just needed someone to believe that he could." I sighed and shrugged her hand off my shoulder.

"I can't stay with him, can I?" I muttered, stroking the bracelet. Dawn took my hand, and looked at me sadly.

"No, Vi, its madness. You've only known him a few days. You can't possibly move across the country for him." She said, I laid my head on her shoulder, and sighed.

"Yeah," I said dejectedly. "I guess I knew that."

* * *

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY week 2

V

It was well past midnight before we made it to bed. We had all showered, cleaned dishes, and tidied up the dining room. By the time it was all said and done, I was nearly 11PM, Dawn and I stayed up talking and giggling like kids, it reminded me of normal, of youth, of the beginning of our friendship. It took my mind off J, and off of Gotham, I felt more at ease with my decision to leave and go back to Texas. Every time I started to get my mind off of J, and started feeling homesick, though, I looked down, and there was my bracelet, twinkling in the light.

I lay on the couch, curled under the covers, and looking up at the moonlight shining through Dawn's patio window. I sighed again, and pouted. I wondered what J was doing, I wondered if he missed me, I wondered what my mom and step dad where doing, I wondered if my co workers had managed to close down the store before 11 tonight. I wondered all of this, and wondered, again, if it was possible to have both worlds.

A shadow flashed over the patio door, and I furrowed my brow. It was a large shadow, and so high up-

Oh, fuck.

* * *

B

The apartment was on the 3rd floor, landing on the patio was easy enough, but then I saw the girl's eyes where open. Damn it. I was planning on breaking into the apartment quietly, and knocking her out. It looked like that was no longer an option. Right as she opened her mouth to draw in air to scream, I punched the glass sliding door. As the glass shattered, thanks to the spikes embedded in my gauntlet, I heard her scream. She jumped up from her place on the couch, and before she had time to decide where to run, I was on her. My hand covered her mouth, and she began to scream, kicking at my shins uselessly as I held her from behind. I picked her up around the waist like a football, before throwing her over my shoulder. She was screaming, and thrashing, punching uselessly at my back, and flailing her feet. Right as I jumped from the balcony to my waiting car below, I heard the bed room door open.

"Vi?!" called a female voice in panic. I figured "Vi" was the girl squirming on my shoulder. I looked up just in time to see a girl with vibrant red hair, and a boy with too long mousy brown hair leaning over the railing. It was too dark to make out their faces, but I was sure their expression where one of panic.

The girl in my arms screamed in panic, "DAWN!". Fuck. I pulled the sedative from my belt, and plunged it into her neck. She let out a shriek of fear before going lax in my arms. The top to my "bat-mobile" as the press called it, slid closed with a "shnick", and I pressed on the gas.

* * *

The bat cave was dark when I got back. I dragged her out from the car behind me. Alfred, who I had called on the way back, was waiting for me. There was a simple wood chair from the dining room, three lengths of rope, a dressing gown, his from the looks of it, and a black sleep mask to use as a blind fold. I nodded at Alfred, and he furrowed his brow.

"Master Wayne…." He protested, looking at the girl unceremoniously thrown over my shoulder. I knew she was almost naked, and that was what was bothering Alfred. I looked at him, hard, for a moment, before taking the dressing robe. I deftly man handled her, slipping the gown on, it was much too big for her, and kept slipping down her left shoulder. The girl was lax, dead weight, the sedative still heavy in her system. I then used the lengths of rope, and tied both legs to the chair, and her arms behind her. The blindfold was placed on last, there was nothing out for her to see that would identify me, but I'd rather keep her in the dark. It was cruel, but it made her easier to manipulate. After testing the bonds, and being sure she was tied tightly, I sat at my computers. Dots moved across the screen here and there, GPS on police cars, letting me know which parts of the city needed attention, numbers running furiously, miscellaneous data running over the screen. I was working on accessing the three security cameras on the docks, which where oddly encrypted, when I heard her groaning from behind me. I spun around in my chair, and placed my elbows on my knees, watching her for a moment.

She suddenly gasped, her arms jerking, before she groaned and twisted her head this way and that. She began to shake her head furiously, trying to dislodge the mask, before huffing and collapsing back in the chair. I smirked at her. "Done?" I asked, my voice sounding like gravel.

"Are you Batman?" she asked, her voice sounded horse, and I moved to the small minifridge in the corner. Inside where a few Gatorades, medications, sedatives, pain killers, and bottles of water, I made my way over to her, water bottle in hand, and nodded before remembering she couldn't see me.

"Yes." I replied gruffly. She gulped dryly, and nodded. "Thirsty?" I asked, approaching her. Her face followed the sound of my footsteps, and she cocked her head in my general direction.

"That depends." She replied slowly, twisting her arms for a moment. "Is whatever you're going to give me poisoned?" she asked. I scoffed, and rolled my eyes, not that she could see.

"I don't kill people." I growled.

"Not what I asked." She said, I huffed, and put the opening of the bottle to her lips.

"No." I replied simply, "It's not poisoned, just water." She hesitated for a moment, a drop of the water dribbling down her face, before she parted her lips. She had drunk almost all of the water, when I pulled the bottle back.

"You'll be thirsty and groggy for a few minutes, a side effect of the sedative I gave you." I growled. I pulled my desk chair over to her, and sat across from her, studying. She was very pretty, I had to admit. Her hair was long, probably to her waist, she had a slight hourglass figure, not extreme, but noticeable, her skin was pale and unblemished, and while she was bigger than a model, perhaps a size 10 or 12? She wasn't thick by any means. She was, all in all, a lovely girl. When I had snagged her from the apartment I had followed the Joker to, I saw her eyes. They where a sea green color, with dark, thick, long lashes framing them, her legs where long and smooth, her hips wide, her waist pinched in slightly, breasts full, and arms soft. Yes, a very pretty girl. Much too young for me, but I could see the attraction the Joker must hold for her.

"Oh great," her full, heart shaped lips pulled up in a sneer. I could see clean white teeth in her mouth. I lifted a brow at her; she had a bit of spark.

"Now, _please_ explain to me why you thought it appropriate to break into my friends house, kidnap me in my sleep, drug me, and tie me up?" she hissed, her arms twisting against the binds. I almost smirked. There was no way she was getting out of those without a knife.

"You've been seen with The Joker." I stated simply, stretching leisurely. God I was tired, I really needed to start taking a few nights off.

"Yeah, so?" she huffed. I could almost see her eyes rolling.

"He's a criminal." I said slowly, as if speaking to a child.

"No shit Sherlock, you think I don't know that?" she snapped at me.

"So what," she began after a moment of silence, "You want information? Wanna know where his evil lair is? Wanna know how he runs his business, what his real name is? Hmm? Well sorry dude, but I'm not telling you dick." She leaned back against the chair, and even though her eyes were covered, she was still sneering at me.

"No." I said, leaning towards her. She shrank back against the chair, her sneer falling slightly. "You'll tell me all that, eventually, but for right now, I want to know who you are." I saw her brow furrow in confusion.

"I'm a nobody." She said matter-of-factly, her chin rising in defiance.

"You _can't_ be a nobody." I scoffed. "The last woman the Joker was seen with was Dr. Harleen Quinzel, and that was when he _killed_ her." I saw shock cross her face for a moment. Perfect, she was uncomfortable with his crimes; it would be easy to break her.

"So," I said again, standing over her, and leaning down to her level, eyeing her face, "Who _are_ you?" I asked again. She gulped, and opened and closed her mouth for a moment.

"Violet…" she said quietly. "I'm just Violet. I'm from Texas; I met J a few days ago. I don't know anything about him, we've just gone on one date, and fooled around a little, ok? I'm just a fling, that's _all_." I stood, and circled her. My eyes went to her wrists. The bracelet on her wrist was obviously of high quality, and the diamonds appeared to be real.

I stroked a finger right about the bracelet. Her hands curled into fists, and I saw her tense. "Just a fling, huh? This is an awfully pricey gift for a _fling_." I pointed out. I stared at the back of her head, and could almost see the gears in her head turning.

"What can I say?" she argued with a small chuckle, "the man has money to burn." I furrowed my brow.

"He bought you a ten thousand dollar bracelet on a whim, because he had _"money to burn"_ " I said, circling back around to her front. I saw her blanch for a moment, before recomposing herself, and shrugging casually.

"Hey, man, ain't my fault if the pussy's good." I almost laughed, but rolled my eyes instead.

"Who are you to him?" I asked again, sitting in my seat once more.

"No one." She stated stiffly."Look, Batman, right?" I hummed in confirmation. "I don't know any more about J than you do. All I know is his childhood was shit, _shocker_ , right? He lost someone he loved because of doing something stupid, he fell in a vat of acid years ago, and his first name actually starts with a J. That's it, that's all I know." I twisted my mouth in a frown. The only part of that that was shocking was the love part, and I stored the first letter of his name away, knowing it was most likely fake, but I'd save it anyway.

"He's a psychopath." I argued flatly, "He can't love." I pointed out. She scoffed again, and looked away from my direction.

"Look, mister, that's all I know, alright?" she said. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Why where you at Red Wayne two nights ago?" I asked, changing tactics. Her eye brow rose again.

"The restaurant?" she asked. I was about to nod, before I remembered she couldn't see.

"Yes." I growled out.

"We had dinner, dessert, and left, that's it. It was a date. You know, where two people sit and talk." She said, I almost wanted to smack her for talking to me like an idiot.

"I'm aware of what a date is, I want to know why you went with him, and what was going on that night."

She sighed, and rolled her head. "Look, we went to dinner, had a lovely time, had dessert, J gave the poor waiter a heart attack, and we left."

"To where." I cut in.

"New York. We saw a show." She huffed again. I raised my brow at her, confused.

"A show? Like, a _theater_ show?" I asked.

"No duh. We saw Hamilton, you can look for all the receipts you want, everything is either in my name, or a random one of J's lackeys."

"Then what?" I asked, leaning forward. He took her to see a famous show, treated her to one of the most expensive restaurants in Gotham, this was _much_ more than a fling, surly.

"Then you jumped on our car. Duh." She said, her nose wrinkling. "You ruined my dress, by the way." She said grumpily.

"Wait." I said, my eye brows shooting up. "You where in the car?! He drove into the bay! How'd you live?"

"Really, mister? I can _swim_. I swam to the surface, and we made it to shore." I cocked a head at her.

"Huh." I said, a flash of admiration running through me. It sounded like she kept her head in a panic. My eyes drifted to the tattered robin uniform on display along with my first two versions of the bat suit. Perhaps, if I could turn her away from this dark path-

"Then we fucked on the shore." She smirked at me, and I rolled my eyes. _Never mind_.

"Wonderful." I stated dryly. I stood for a moment, and made my way back to the computer.

"What's your full name?" I called.

"Suck my dick." She replied dryly. I growled, and rubbed my temple. This was starting to tire.

"Look." I said, turning back towards her, "I already know the name of the girl whose apartment you where staying at, and you already mentioned your first name, and that you're from Texas, all I have to do is cross reference your name, and flights from Texas to Gotham in the last few weeks. Now, that will all take at least five minutes, but I'll get what I want. You can either tell me your name, or I can just find it out the hard way."

She was quiet for a moment, and huffed. "Violet Xaviera Wardust. I'm from Dallas Texas, a student at Dallas county community college; I'm here till Monday, visiting my friend who goes to school at Gotham University. I'm 20, I'll be 21 in March, the girl who lives in that apartment has been my friend since I was 8. There, happy?" she pouted, and I turned towards the computer.

She was telling the truth. She was just a normal, all American girl. Her social media showed normal activities, prom, graduation, birthday parties, sleep over's, ball games, she was average, her GPA's from high school and beyond where just above average, her job, a cashier, was normal, her history was clean, she was a nobody, just like she said. She never stuck out, even in her profile picture, the only way she stuck out among a group of her fellow classmates, was that she radiated beauty. I looked back at her, narrowing my eyes, and biting the inside of my cheek.

"I'll be keeping you here a while." I growled out.

"Wait, what? What? No! HEY! LET ME GO!" she yelled, beginning to struggle. I walked away, towards to elevator. I was going to talk to Alfred about boarding up a guest room, and allowing her to stay there until I could lure the Joker out of hiding. I had a feeling this girl was the key to stopping him once and for all.

* * *

V

It was about fifteen minutes before I heard footsteps ok. "Oh, hey!" I said cheerfully from the ground, where I had fallen after tipping my chair over in an effort to escape.

"Tut, tut, Ms. Wardust" said a voice from above me. This one was a man's voice, but he had a smooth English accent, and he sounded older. "You do seem to have worked yourself into quit a mess. Not to worry dear!" he said cheerfully. I heard shoes, probably some kind of hard soled dress shoe, click clacking on the ground, moving around me. A moment later he was by my feet, and I heard the soft "shnick" of a pocket knife. I tensed for a moment, before I felt him fiddling with the bonds. He cut through them quickly, and carefully. A moment later, both my feet where freed. I squeaked as he lifted the chair back onto all fours, and started tugging at my wrists.

I had a fleeting moment of hope, before I felt the cold metal of handcuffs envelope the exposed bit of my wrists just below the rope. I huffed in annoyance as he cut me free, and lifted me from the chair. It took a bit of undignified finagling, but eventually we slid my hands over the back of the chair, and I was able to stand. The ground was cold, probably metal, and smooth under my bare feet.

"There we are." He said kindly, tugging at a piece of cloth around me.

"Er," I asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Am I wearing a robe?" I asked dumbly, a little confused.

"Yes, darling, for the sake of modesty. You're eh hum." He cleared his throat awkwardly. " _Bosom_ , was on full display through that gown." I blushed and realized, that, yes, he was right. The gown was thin, and of a fine cloth, which clung to me, my breasts had probably been on full display when I arrived, and I was suddenly very grateful for the modem of privacy I was allowed.

"Oh, um, thanks?" I said awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other. He gently took the crook of my elbow, and began to steer me away.

"Where are we going?" I asked

"To a bedroom, Ms. Wardust, that Batman and I have set up for you." He answered.

"Oh. Um, hey, why is there a bedroom in the, I dunno what this is, batlair?" I heard the man press a button, and a moment later there was a "ding" and I was led into a smaller space. An elevator perhaps? The floor here was a different temperature, and laid in large tiles.

"Batlair?" he chuckled, "Don't you worry, Ms. Wardust. It's not in the _batlair_ , as you call it." I huffed in annoyance, and shifted my feet. His hand tightened in warning.

The elevator dinged again, and the door, which sounded mechanical, but not as echoy as metal, perhaps some kind of wood, whirred open. We stepped onto a hard wood floor. After a few steps, my foot met a large, soft rug, and then in a few more, it was again hard wood floor. A door was opened, it sounded heavy, and I was led through. We stepped into what I assumed was a hallway.

"Um, hey?" I asked meekly, as the man took my elbow again. "Would it be totally useless to ask if I can know a name for you?"

The man let out a small breath of laughter. "Yes, Ms. Wardust, it would."

"Ok…" I said slowly, thinking. "Then can I call you Q?" I asked brightly. The man paused a moment, and I staggered into his side. He was tall, I felt his elbow jab me half way between elbow and shoulder.

"Q?" he asked, perplexed.

I shrugged, "Yeah, like in the James Bond movies. The scientist who always gives Bond all the cool gadgets and stuff?" He let out another huff of laughter.

"Yes, I suppose that would be acceptable." Q said, I could hear a smile in his voice.

We continued down the corridor in silence, which was broken only by Q saying "careful there" or, "to the right, if you please Ms. Wardust." It was rather slow going, but eventually, I could feel from the air around us drifting by, we exited the hallway.

"We'll be going up stairs now, Ms. Wardust." Said Q respectfully. He led me to a set of stairs, and we began to climb. It was rather slow for me, as my toes kept hitting the edges of the stairs. At the top of the stairs, we stepped onto plush carpet, I staggered to my right, and stepped just off the carpet, it was, again, cool tile. We were walking on a rug then, some kind of runner from the feel of it. We started down what I assumed, was another hallway. After forty-five seconds, I'd been counting, we stopped in front of a door. Q led me into the room, and led me to a wall. He unlocked one hand, then the other.

"Both hands on the wall, Ms. Wardust, or I'll be forced to sedate you." He ordered sternly. I did as he commanded, not wanting to be knocked out again. The wall was cool under my palm, and smooth. I stayed still as Q walked back across the room.

"You may remove the blindfold now." He called from a few feet away from me. I whipped off the mask, and turned around. The room was bright to my sensitive eyes and all I saw of Q before he left was a whip of salt and pepper hair, which was mostly salt, and a flash of dark leather shoes. The door closed with a click, and I heard him fiddling with the locks. A moment later, I was alone. I looked around the room, and was in awe.

It was large, I saw a bathroom to my right, and an open, empty walk in closet next to it, there was a large bed, with two bedside tables of solid wood. There was a headboard on the bed, and it was also of sturdy wood. The covers on the bed where gold and red, with fine, silver trim.

The first thing I did was inspect the room. There was a window covered in wood boards, which had screws in it, keeping them firmly in the wall, all the dressers, draws, closets, and cupboards where empty. There was nothing here to help me. I huffed, and walked to the door. I halfheartedly twisted the knob, and was not surprised to find it locked. I walked back over to the window, and began using my nails to tug at the screws. I have gotten one nail halfway through one turn, when I remembered my screw driver necklace. The bat hadn't removed it, and I held it with glee for a moment, before crouching down. I looked behind me, and saw no cameras; I prayed that no one was watching me.

It took nearly two hours to get the boards I needed out of the way. I pulled them off as quietly as possible, and put them to the side. I was irritated, and a little forlorn to see the large window underneath them. It would be impossible to break the window without arousing suspension.

I grabbed a board, which was of heavy wood, and hefted it in my hands. I tapped it against the solid glass, and took a deep breath. WHAM! A crack appeared, WHAM a pane fell out…. Only for me to discover it was double paned. "FUCK!" I hissed. I heard footsteps making their way towards me, they sounded heavy, and I knew it was the bat. In my panic, I rammed the wood board into the window so hard, the window broke, and the board soared out of it! I took off the dressing gown, and punched out stragglers of the glass, and climbed out the window. Right as I dropped from the second story window, into a bed of bushes below, I heard batman yell in anger. I looked up at the window, and there he was. He wasn't wearing his cowl, but because the only light was coming from behind him, I couldn't see his face.

"WARDUST!" he screamed, furious. The gown was still wrapped around my wrist, and had become tangled in the bushes. I rolled out of the shrubs, and tugged on the gown so hard I heard it tear. A moment later it was free, and I was running. There was a long gravel road, leading to a tall gate. My heart was pounding as I ran. I heard thunder rumble somewhere in the distance, and small drops of rain began to fall. I finally made it to the gate, and climbed as fast as I could, which wasn't very fast. I hadn't climbed anything since that stupid rope test in P.E. my junior year. However, the adrenaline in my body made the climb fast enough. Soon, I was on the other side. There, on the front gate, was a large _W_ , I didn't stop to ponder it, and instead began to run down the dusty dirt and gravel road. The stones bit my feet, and the rain began to come down harder, making the dirt turn to slippery mud, but I didn't slow down. Eventually, I took a left hand bend, what had been grass on either side of the road now grew into dense shrubs, and forested trees. I kept running, until I heard revving of an engine from behind me and to the left. I dove into the trees on my right, and found myself tumbling down a ditch.

Stones, roots, and twigs stuck to me, poked, scratched, and grabbed at me as I rolled down the hill. I tucked my arms in front of my face, in an effort to protect my head from the falling. I felt like I was falling forever before I finally stopped. I looked up the steep hill, and saw lights flash by. I could make out the silhouette of the Batcar as it sped by. I gasped, feeling the pain, and cold catch up to me. I was drenched, and caked in mud. When I looked at my feet, I saw stones, and pebbles, along with slivers of glass, stuck to the bottom, cutting into the skin. I gave out little cries and whimpers of pain as I pulled each foreign object from my body. I looked down at my right hand, which was still clutching the now wet robe. I looked around me, and saw a sharp stone. I used this to stab a hole in the soft material, and began to tear. Eventually I had strips of cloth, and used this to bandage my feet. I sniffled as I slid on what was left of the tattered robe, and crawled out of the ditch.

It was pouring so hard, I could only see a foot or two ahead of me, this combined with the darkness, made for slow going. Finally, I found my way to a main road. To the left was open county, to the right, I saw city lights. I began to painfully hobble towards the lights, dodging into the trees on my right anytime I saw headlights in the distance. My teeth began to chatter, my feet ached, and when I looked behind me, I saw bloody footprints being hurriedly washed away by fast moving water. I sniffled and headed on. The rain had begun to slow, and the sun was just beginning to turn the sky a grey shade of dawn when I found myself at a gas station right outside the city. I hobbled in, and nearly sobbed at the warmth inside. The cashier at the counter, a thin Indian girl with a bush of dark hair pulled into a ponytail, popped the gum in her mouth, and went wide eyed when she saw me. I could tell she was surprised at my appearance.

"C-c-ca-…c-can I u-u-uuuuuse yo-ure ph-ph-phone? I stuttered out, crossing my arms over my soaked chest for warmth. She nodded, wide eyed, and handed me her cell phone from the back pocket of her khakis. I nodded at her, and staggered to a back hallway, which led to foul smelling bathrooms. I slid down the wall, curling my legs to my torso. I was suddenly very glad that J had made me memorize Frosts number after the trip to the bottom of Gotham bay. With trembling fingers, which had turned blue from the cold of the rain shower, I dialed his number, and lifted it to my face.

"Frost." Came the curt reply. I could hear little gasps in his breath, and looked out at the rising sun. Of course, Frost was always up at this time, having his morning workout. "Hello?" he said impatiently, and I realized how tired I was.

"F-Frost?" I stuttered out.


	13. Violet is hurt and J throws a fit

A/N shout out to my number one fan, Queen Nushy. She's kind of A+ ya'll. Anyway, I'm almost done with everything for this story, so I think I'm going to slow down on postings, just to give me some time to finish up the sequel. Yes, there will be a sequel. Yes, it's almost done.

Thank you to everyone who's read this!

I don't own what I don't own, mature content, some descriptions of wounds, yadayadaya.

* * *

POV switches.

F-Frost

V-Violet

J-Joker

B-Batman

D-Dawn

A-Alfred

E-Emelina

exc exc please enjoy!

* * *

p.s. my descriptions of Em are all my own, and based off a few of my friends from middle school. There was a very large Tongan population there (around 30% of the over all student body), and many of my friends where Tongan. Em is, very loosely, based off these girls. Her ethnicity/race is purely coincidental, and I am in no way saying that islander women are more inclined towards a life of crime. also! I'm not a doctor or a nurse. So, like? I tried?

* * *

V

Twenty minutes later I was sitting outside the gas station on the curb, the rising sun warming me wonderfully. My hair was still dripping wet, but my clothes had begun to dry, with every step, mud cracked off my nightgown and fell to the ground in little flakes. The sleek, black SUV skidded to a halt in front of me. J was on his knees in front of me in a moment, his hands cupping my cheeks, concern on his face.

"Dove?" he asked worriedly, his eyes wide, "Are you ok? What happened? Are you hurt?" all the questions tumbled out at once, and I stared at him dumbly for a few seconds before blinking.

"'M tired." I mumbled. "Can I go sleep?" J brushed my hair away from my face, and kissed my forehead. A moment later, one of his arms was under my legs, and the other behind me. He carried me to the car, where Frost had been waiting. Frost gave me a look of concern, and opened the door. With some assistance from Frost, J had me cradled to his chest as he sat in the back seat. I didn't move, wide eyed and tired. All the bones in my legs were on fire, my feet burned, I felt dried mud on my face, and debris in my hair. I wanted nothing more than to lie down, and sleep for a hundred years.

* * *

J

I felt rising panic, and anger, accompanied by relief. I knew what had happened. The gas station was ten miles from Wayne manor, and that was the only road between it and the city. _He_ had taken her, that much was obvious, but why, and what had he done to her? There had been a rain storm during the night, and Violet was still wet when we got to her.

Frost had woken me that morning at some ungodly hour, I was about to throw my bedside alarm clock at him in annoyance, when he said her name.

"Violet's in trouble, boss." I was out of my bed in an instant.

That was an hour ago. Now we were all back at my loft. Vi had fallen asleep in my arms, her own arms wound around me loosely, her head buried in my chest.

When we enter my loft, I make a beeline for my bathroom, gesturing for Frost to follow. As Frost started a shower and laid out a first aid kit, I gently undressed Violet. Frost, always the gentleman, kept his gaze averted, and the moment he was done, he retreated. I heard him shuffling around in my bedroom, and hoped he was laying out some night clothes for me to change Violet into.

"Vi, honey." I whispered. She groaned, and opened her eyes blearily.

"Huh?" she muttered groggily.

"I'm gunna put you in the shower, ok?" I asked gently. She hummed in agreement, and closed her eyes again. I shed my pants and carried her into the shower. I was suddenly very glad for the bench in here, I didn't need it, but I thought it looked cool, and I was brimming with new money when my loft was being furnished, so I splurged a bit. I set her gently on the wide bench, and pulled the shower head down to rinse her off. Her feet were pulled off of the floor, as to not irritate them. I leaned over her, and she stretched her head back. I rinsed her hair, and combed through it with my fingers, twigs, leaves, and mud dropped out one by one. Anger over came me, but I pushed it aside, and continued rinsing her gently. Finally, she'd been thoroughly rinsed. I picked up the shampoo, and washed her hair, rinsing the last of the mud out, and conditioned it while I washed her body gently, avoiding her feet for now. After all was said and done, she leaned against the glass wall, nearly asleep. I swept her up, and set her on the edge of the bath tub, which was right next to the shower. I dried off my face, to get water out of my eyes, and pulled the first aid kit closer to me. Violet yawned and rubbed her eyes, she suddenly looks like a small child, and a smile crosses my lips, before I look at her feet. They're a mess, tattered, cuts crisscrossing her feet. I see little, tiny slivers of glass, and little pebbles, no bigger than a rice grain, embedded in her feet.

Ten miles! I think with a mix of admiration and fury. _Ten miles_ she wondered down gravel roads like this, bleeding, soaking wet, cold, alone, scared. Ten fucking miles. I used a small pair of medical pliers, and every time I extract a foreign body from her foot, she whimpers pathetically. I shush her gently, and continue my work. It takes me nearly half an hour, but finally, her feet are free of debris. I dry her feet, and hold them up, waiting for the bleeding to stop, which takes another five minutes or so. I treat the wounds with antibiotic and pain relieving balms, then bandage them gently in white gauze. I carry her into my bedroom, and lying on the bed are a pair of cotton panties, and the silky nightie she left in my closet. I dry her, then dress her, and tuck her into bed. Her eyes crack open, and she grabs my left hand, the one with the bracelet on it.

"J..." she whispers, looking me with wide eyes. I can't read her expression, fear, longing, concern, fury, love? I don't know, I can't tell. I lean over and kiss her forehead.

"Shhh, it's ok baby, I'm just gunna go talk to Frost for a minute, ok?" She pouts at me for a moment.

"You'll come back?" she croaks out.

"I promise." I murmur, pushing her damp hair out of her face with my right hand. She kisses the knuckles on my left hand, and releases me, snuggling down into the covers. I look at the heavy curtains covering the window, and am glad Frost thought to block out the early morning sun. I pull on a pair of boxers and sleep pants then head to the exit. Before I even reach the bedroom door, I hear her breath even out.

* * *

Frost is pacing back and forth in my living room, he's still very casually dressed, tennis shoes, gym shorts, and a plain black tank top. He had been in the middle of his normal morning workout when Violet called him.

"Is she ok?" he asks as soon as I've closed the bedroom door. I sigh and rub my face with my hand.

"She'll be ok. We need to get her to Dr. Morell, get her feet looked over, they're torn up pretty bad." I shake my head and move into my kitchen.

"Coffee?" I ask, looking at him expectantly.

"Yes, please." He says, moving to the bar on my kitchen, he sits on a stool, and watches as I turn on the coffee machine.

"Boss, did she say what happened?" he asks tentatively. I look at him for a moment, and look back down at the empty mug on the counter. I debate telling him the truth, or at least part of it. I open my mouth, but then close it again. I shake my head. The truth is I don't know what happened, all I know is where she came from. I don't know how she got there, I don't know what happened while she was there, I just know she was there.

"No." I say, pouring coffee into both mugs. I add a touch of sugar to mine, and offer both sugar and creamer to Frost. He, as I suspected, shakes his head.

"Do you have any idea how long she was out there?" he asks, taking a small sip of his black coffee. I take a swig from mine, the warmth filling my belly.

"I dunno." I answer, half honestly. "Long enough to have gone through rain and mud though. We'll need to check her for pneumonia and infections." Frost nods and sighs, running his hands through his hair, and scratching under his beard.

"Should we call her friend?" he asks, I take another sip of my coffee, and think for a moment.

"How tired are you?" I ask, eyeing him. He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Not very. We got home at a decent hour, and Em and I went straight to bed when I got back." I nod at him.

"Can you run by there? See if she and her boyfriend, Jeremiah, are ok. Talk to them and find out what happened. Make sure no one is following you there or back, if they are." I look out over the city, the purples and pinks of dawn breaking into the bright blue sky and shining sun of day. "Shake them off, kill them, drive the car into a fucking river, just do what you have to do to survive and keep the loft secure, got it?" I asked, my crystal blue eyes met his sapphire blue ones. He nodded, and took another large gulp of his coffee before dropping the mug in the sink.

I walked him to the front door, and let him out. He nodded at me as he stepped on the elevator. The doors of the elevator slid closed, and I closed and locked the door. I turned off any lights, and poured the rest of my coffee down the sink before making my way into the darkened bedroom. Frost may have been able to sleep when we got home at 11pm, a very modest time for us, but I hadn't been able to get to sleep till about an hour before Frost got the call.

Violet was sleeping soundly on my bed. She was curled into the covers, breathing deeply. I smiled and stripped off my pajama bottoms, slipping into bed in my boxers. She whimpered as I grabbed her, but quieted when I shushed her gently. I fell asleep quickly, her weight and warmth like a safety blanket. I didn't have nightmares that day. I dreamed of her shampoo, and her soft, somehow still minty, breath, her fluttering lashes, and soft skin.

* * *

F

THURSDAY week 2

I stepped off the elevator and groaned, I told J I was good to go, but truth be told, Emelina came home horny last night. I wasn't complaining of course, but I didn't get to sleep till about 1 or 2 AM. As I unlocked my loft door, I caught my reflection in the mirror next to my door. I had dark circles, and the beginnings of crow's feet at the corner of my eyes. Em said she thought the small lines where kind of sexy, but when I saw them, it just reminded me how I was a full decade older than her. I really needed to start sleeping more. Sadly, my marine training meant my body was expected to run on five or less hours of sleep a night, and to never sleep past 6 AM.

When I stepped into my loft, Em was awake. She was dressed for school, a pair of cut off shorts and a white tank top. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, and she was wearing her glasses. God she was beautiful. "Hey, honey." She smiled at me, setting a second plate down at the table. Pancakes, strawberries, and syrup. God I freaking _loved_ this woman.

"Hey baby." I replied, walking over and pecking her on the cheek. I really shouldn't stop to eat, but my stomach was rumbling.

"I gotta eat fast; boss needs me to run an errand." I tell her as I sit. She smiles at me in understanding.

"It's ok sweetie, I'm running a little late too, I've got Miller today, he's an ass if anyone's late." She rolls her beautiful brown eyes, and puts food on her plate. We eat quickly, very little conversation. Em is flipping through flash cards, and I watch her with a smile. She's so sweet, so smart, I'm so lucky to have her.

I finish in record time, and drown my orange juice before taking my dishes to the sink, as I pass by Em into my bedroom; I give her a kiss on the cheek, and wish her a good day. In my room, I shower and groom quickly, dressing in one of my many suits with ease. Fifteen minutes later, I slide out my front door. Em has already left, her back pack and keys gone with her. I slip my cell phone into my suit pocket as the elevator doors slide closed. I smile to myself, thinking how good my life is, as the elevator descends to the car garage.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, I'm at the home of Dawn Mulligan, Violets friend. I'm surprised to not see cop cars everywhere. I make my way up the stairs, and the closer to her apartment door, the more yelling I hear.

" _NO_! JER HE TOOK HER FROM HER _FUCKING BED_! WE _HAVE_ TO CALL THE POLICE!"

"AND TELL THEM WHAT DAWN? THAT YOUR FRIEND, WHO'S DATING _THE FUCKING JOKER_ , WAS KIDNAPPED BY _BATMAN_?!" Jeremiah yells back. I hear Dawn scream in frustration, and the sound of something hitting the front door.

"I have to do something!" I hear her broken voice call to Jeremiah. There's soft sobbing, and Jeremiah is muttering, comforting her perhaps? I suddenly feel very guilty. Violet has been with J and I for at least 3 hours, and I didn't contact Dawn, as a matter-of-fact, I spent an hour doing personal stuff. Yeesh, talk about a bad errand boy.

I clear my throat, and lift my hand, giving three sharp knocks. I hear Dawn cry out, and there's shuffling. The door is thrown open, and I see her face fall. "Hello." I say, meeting her brown eyes.

"I don't know if you know me. I'm Jonathan Frost, I work with J." realization dawns in her eyes, and she steps to the side, ushering me in.

"Do you know what happened? Do you know where she is? _Is she ok_?" Dawn asks as soon as the door is closed. I look around, there's broken glass on the floor, and her patio door is in shambles. I look back at her and nod.

"Well, we don't know what exactly happened, but she called just before dawn this morning. When we got to her, she was alive, but in pretty rough shape. The best we can figure is she'd been wondering around all night, her feet where torn up, and bloody. She was soaking wet and experiencing the first stages of hypothermia." I see panic well in her eyes, and hold up my hand. "She's _fine_ now, just resting. We took her back to J's place and cleaned her up. J picked the glass and pebbles out of her feet," Dawn winces, "and bandaged her up. She's _very_ tired; she wasn't even able to tell J what happened before she passed out. When J's doctor gets into his office at 10, I'm going to have him make a house call. Violet will have seen a doctor by the end of the day." Dawn sighs in relief, and her eyes close for a moment, before snapping back open.

"It was the Batman." She hisses out, fury in her brown eyes. I almost feel myself flinch back, before I remember that I'm a 6'5" ex-soldier who's extensively trained in both weapons and hand to hand combat, while she's 5'4" of Texas spitfire with no formal training.

"The bat man?" I say, stepping over to the broken patio window. I look at Dawn; her eyes are almost glowing with anger.

"Yeah, we had just gone to bed, it was just past midnight. Jer and I were lying in bed; I had just started drifting off when I heard breaking glass and Vi screaming. By the time I got out here, Vi was gone. I ran and looked out the balcony. Batman had her, and they were in that big car of his. I screamed, and she yelled my name. Then he did something to her, and she was quiet. After that he drove off. There was no way we were going to catch up to her, we had to let her go." Dawn huffed, and looked down at her feet. I looked down as well. She had band aides all over her feet, and had on a cheap pair of flip flops. She must have run over the glass in her bare feet.

"We didn't know where to go. I wanted to call the Joker, but I couldn't open her phone. As you probably heard on your way up here, we couldn't call the cops. I mean, what am I supposed to say, " _oh hey, yeah, you know that vigilante that does your job for you, well my friend is dating the Joker, and batman took her, can you maybe find her?_ " I mean, come one." She rolls her eyes, obviously irritated.

"Have you noticed anything else?" I ask, walking around the living room slowly.

"Anything else?" she asks, confused.

"I mean, did you see him drop anything? A knock out or tear gas? A camera or microphone?" I kick broken glass with my shoe, and lean over, looking under the couch.

"Oh, um, no I didn't see anything like that." She says. I look at her, and she's obviously confused. Poor thing.

"Ok, can I see your phone?" I ask, holding out my hand. She reaches into her bra, something that I roll my eyes at, because Em does the same thing, and hands me a slightly outdated smart phone, I add both my number, and J's. "Here," I say, handing the phone back, "I put our numbers in there. We'll call you when she wakes. Text or call me if you see anything odd. Keep your eyes peeled; we don't know who the Bat really is. If you see anyone watching you, or cars following you, remember descriptions, plate numbers, everything you can, and call me, ok?" I say sternly. She looks at me for a moment, and looks around her ruined apartment, lost. I suddenly feel sympathy for her.

I reach into my wallet, and pull out three crisp hundred dollar bills. "Here," I saw softly, pushing the crisp bills into her hand, "Call someone, have your window fixed, do what you gotta do to get stuff cleaned up. Call me when you get a hold of someone, ok? I'll cover the expenses."

"Oh! No!" she argues, pushing the money back at me, "No, I can't possibly-"

"Look," I cut her off gently, pushing her hand down, "Your friend had done a lot for J the last few days, she's a good girl, who caught the eye of a dangerous guy. Now you're all paying the price. Please, take the money, ok?" I say softly, smiling at her gently. What I don't say is that over the past few days, I've come to care for Violet Xaviera Wardust , she reminds me of the little sister I had, but lost to a drunk driver when I was 14. Violet had the same gentle, loving soul, and fighting spirit my sister, Sarah, had. Sarah was only 12, but already she was a strong girl.

Dawn, unwillingly, accepted the small amount of money, and walked me to the door. Before I left, I turned to her again, and handed her a credit card. I hardly ever used this one, or any of my cards, really, as most of my pay was in cash. That meant this card was never maxed out. It took a little bit, but eventually I convinced her to use it to get her apartment window fixed, and the water cleaned out of the carpet. The three hundred would cover tips but it wouldn't be nearly enough to get everything fixed. I assured her that I'd have Violet call the moment she woke up, and left the apartment.

* * *

V

I woke groggy, and achy. I groaned and curled deeper into J, who was still asleep. He looked so young in his sleep; I gently stroked the "damaged" tattoo on his forehead, and smiled at him. I looked over at his bed side clock, and was shocked to see it was nearly 4PM. The night before was a blur of batman, broken glass, and cold rain. The last think I clearly remembered was asking a terrified gas station attendant where I was, and relaying the information to a bewildered Frost. I felt clean, and though my feet ached, I felt something warm and protective on them. I remembered flashes of a shower, and J on his knees before me, medical pliers in his hand. I remembered, vaguely, that he promised to come back to me. I guess he kept his promise.

"Vi..." he sighed out, his eye lids slowly lifting. Beautiful blue eyes looked at me, full of something wonderful. I smiled at him gently as he woke slowly. He finally groaned, and stretched, sitting up. I watched from my place on the bed as his back muscles rippled, and felt a flash of arousal down my spine. He stood out of the bed, and made his way into the bathroom. A few moments later, he emerged, much relieved. I sat up, and tried to stand, intent on making my way to the bathroom and relieving myself as well. I let out a gasping scream of pain as my feet touched the floor. They felt as if I'd just stepped on knives, and fire, and coal. I whimpered, and pulled my feet back onto the bed. J was there a moment later, shushing me gently.

"It's ok, it's ok honey, I got you." He comforted. I met his eyes, and leaned forward, kissing him chastely.

"C-Can you help me?" I asked, blushing brightly, tears from the pain trapped in my eyes. He smiled at me gently, and a moment later, I was in his arms. He took me as far as the toilet, and turned to wait outside. With great difficulty, I relieved myself. A moment later, I flushed, and knocked on the door. He lifted me back into his arms, and totted me over to the counter. I washed my hands, and took a moment to brush my teeth, before hopping back into his arms.

"Hungry?" he murmured to me, smiling at me. I grinned and nodded, my stomach rumbling. When we walked into the living room, Maria, his maid, was there.

"Sir." She said, nodding at J, "Senorita." She added, nodding at me as well.

"Hi." I said shyly, blushing again. J kissed my temple, and set me down on the couch.

"Maria," he said, turning back to her, "A light lunch, and some water for Violet and I please." He patted her on the shoulder as he passed, and moved back into his room. A moment later, he walked back out, the phone at his ear.

"Dr. Morell?" he asked, leisurely making his way back over to me, "Yes, we're awake. Can you..? Perfect. What time would be best?... We'll be here all day and night…. Yes, ok…. The sooner the better please…. Pneumonia, and infections…. I would prefer those tests by tomorrow at the latest." A frown came to his face, his brow furrowing, whatever the doctor said made his expression clear though, "Good,….yes that'll be acceptable….. Ok….. Yes Doc, cash….. Ok.. ok… yes, call Frost when you get here, he'll be here to let you up…. Ok, see you at 4:30,….ok, goodbye" J smiled at me as he slid the phone back in his pocket.

"There will be a doctor here to see you at 4:30, I'm worried about pneumonia, and your feet." J says as he moves to sit next to me. I smile, and snuggle into him. I hear clicking, and open my eyes to see him texting. Frosts name is at the top of the screen.

* * *

J

 _Thank you for calling Dr. Morell.-J_

 _No problem boss. I went to see Dawn.-F_

 _What happened?-J_

 _The bat took her, like you thought. Dawn's patio door was completely smashed in. I just got back a moment ago, I went this morning and told her to get it fixed, they just installed the new glass.-F_

 _Good, send me a bill please.-J_

 _Nah, boss, it's on me.-F_

My first thought was, no way in _hell_ I was ever getting rid of Frost.

 _Thank you. What time did he take her?-J_

 _About midnight, they had just laid down for bed.-F_

 _Any surveillance at the apartment?-J_

 _No boss, I don't think the Bat had time. Dawn said Violet screamed as he broke in.-F_

 _Ok, are you back at the loft yet?-J_

 _Yes boss.-F_

 _Ok, did you give Dawn our numbers?-J_

 _Yes sir.- F_

 _Good. I'm going to send Maria home early. Will you come up with the doc when he gets here?-J_

 _Yes boss.-F_

Maria set a simple lunch of chicken soup at the coffee table, along with two cold glasses of water. "Thank you, Maria." I said, taking a sip of my water.

"We're good for the day, if you could clean the shower in my room though? There's some twigs and whatnot in there, and if you could throw out Violets clothes that are in there? Then you can go for the day." I said to her, shooting her a crooked smile.

"Yes sir, Mr. J, Ms. Violet." She nodded at us, and retreated into the kitchen. She emerged a moment later with cleaning supplies, and made her way into my bed room. Violet sighed, and sat up, pulling the soup close, and eating it slowly.

"Dove, honey…" I said eventually. She looked up at me, and I felt my heart melt a little. Her eyes were so wide, and still a little puffy from sleep.

"Hm?" she asked, looking at me with a crooked smile.

"Baby, what happened? Where were you? What'd he do?" I asked, rubbing my hand over her back. Her brow furrowed, and I saw anger flicker in and out of life for a moment.

"I had just laid down for bed, and I saw a shadow outside. I looked over at the balcony, and he was standing there. Right as I screamed, he punched the glass door, and it broke. I got out of the bed, but I didn't know where to run. I couldn't go to Dawn's room, or I'd put her in danger, I couldn't go to the front door, the chain was on it, and there was no way I'd get out fast enough. He was too fast though." Vi bit her lip, and I saw her beautiful face twist in anger.

"He grabbed me, and threw me over his shoulder. Next thing I know, we're jumping off the balcony, into his big car _thing_. I screamed, and I heard Dawn screaming too. I looked up and she and Jeremiah where on the balcony. I screamed, and started fighting again, but the bat had a needle in his hand." Violet's hand lifted to a tiny little bruise on her neck, I felt anger bubble in me. "It was a sedative. I woke up and I was tied to a chair, blindfolded. I don't know where I was, it was cold, and quiet, but the bat was there. He started asking me questions. What I knew about you, how we were involved that kind of thing." I felt panic in my throat for a moment.

"What'd you tell him?" I asked quietly.

"I told him that I met you a week ago, and we'd gone on a date. I told him that I don't know anything about who you really are, that I was just a fling." She looked at me for a moment, uncertain, "But…" she continued, "That part isn't true, _right_?" her voice was shaky, and her eyes hopeful. I kissed her cheek and smiled at her.

"God help me if it is." I muttered back. She blushed and looked down, continuing her story.

"He was frustrated that I didn't know more about you, so he started asking me about myself. I told him the truth, because he already knew about Dawn, and where she lived, and my name. I told him I'm just a girl here to visit my friend during summer break. I'm a no one. Just a college girl. He didn't believe me, of course, but he left after that." She frowned again, and then grinned at me sheepishly. "I started squirming, and trying to get away, but I knocked my chair over." She giggled, "I landed on the floor, which was metal I think. That hurt pretty bad. Then there was someone else there."

My heart jumped to my throat, had he found a new Robin? "It was a man, I think he was older, a British guy." My heart settled back in my chest, _Alfred_. "He took me to a room, and left me there. It was a bedroom, the windows where boarded up with wood." She smiled at me again, and pulled out the golden screw driver from around her neck. It was still shiny, but now had a few scratches on it that I hadn't noticed the night before. "I used this to unscrew the screws holding the boards in the wall. I got all of them out, and then used one to break the window. Luckily, even though we went up at least three floors, I was only on the second floor. I jumped out the window, and started running." She looked down at her feet, and with a small hiss of pain, flexed them. "That's how I got the glass in there. I was running, and there was a gate ahead of me. It had a big W on it, which I thought was odd, but I didn't have time to figure it out. I climbed the fence, and fell on the dirt road on the other side." she gulped, and grabbed her glass, taking a sip of water, "I just kept running, till I heard his car engine. I jumped into the forested area beside me, and that's how I got all cut up. Right after that it started raining, but luckily I found the main road. The next thing I remember is my feet hurting, and finally seeing that gas station. I think I gave that poor girl a heart attack. After that, you and Frost where there." She finally concluded, looking at me with small, wry smile.

Through my desire to strangle Bruce, I smiled at her. I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. We finished our small meal in silence. It was just past 4:30 when my phone buzzed.

 _On our way up.-F_

"The doctors on his way." I told Violet. She looked down at herself.

"Um, is that robe you got me still here?"

"Of course," I said "You want me to get it for you?"

"Yes please." She said, smiling at me. I smiled back, and moved into my bedroom. While there I changed into slacks, and a button down shirt, which I clumsily did up, leaving most of the buttons undone. I had just handed the robe to Violet when someone knocked at the loft door. I moved to it, and opened to see Frost and Dr. Morell, a short, kindly little balding man with a soft middle and skinny arms.

"Mr. J." he said, sticking out his hand. I looked at his hand, unimpressed, he knew I didn't shake hands. He chuckled, and took his hand back. "One of these days, J" he said, wagging a finger at me, "I'll get you to trip up!" I rolled my eyes and stepped back, allowing the Doctor, and Frost, who was holding some of his equipment in his hands, inside.

Violet was sitting on the couch, and had pulled the silky robe around herself. "Forgive me if I don't stand." She said, smiling at the doctor and offering her hand. He took it and shook firmly, giving me a pointed look, as if to say " _see, that's manners_ ".

"I'm Dr. Morell." He said by way of introduction, moving in front of Violet. Maria reappeared then, and I almost jumped. I had been so engrossed in Violet that I'd forgotten Maria was still here. She moved into the living room, and scooped up our empty dishes, before silently gliding back into my laundry room, which was hidden in a little alcove behind my kitchen. Dishes clattered in the sink, and the washer machine opened and closed. A moment later she grabbed her purse, and slipped out of the door, with a little wave at us.

Dr. Morell sat on the foot rest our dishes had been resting on, and gently moved one of Violet's feet into his lap. He rummaged around in his brown bag, which Frost had laid down to his right, and removed a pair of gloves. He applied the gloves while he asked preliminary questions. Nausea, fatigue, coughing, wet breathing, no; I was up all night so yes, no, and no, she replied. He finally smiled at Violet, and used a sterile pair of medical shears to cut off the white gauze. Violet hissed in pain, and I felt my jaw tense. He gently poked and prodded, Violet's face drawn in pain the entire time. Finally he picked up the other foot, allowing her to rest that foot beside her on the couch. I fetched a towel and laid it under her foot, that way she didn't get any debris in the wounds. He poked and prodded the other foot, and finally put that up by the other as well.

"Well!" he announced, slipping the shears back into a waste bag, and reaching into his bag once more. "Your feet look clean, Ms. Violet, I'm sure they ache a bit though, I would suggest keeping them bandaged for two hours on, two hours off, to allow them to breath, and staying off of them for another day or two at least. I'll prescribe some pain medication, but I don't think you need any antibiotics. I don't see any signs of infection, but be sure to keep the area cleaned. Now," he pulled out a stethoscope, "I'll need to listen to your lungs, just to be sure I don't hear any rattling and what not." He moved over her, and she nodded at him, smiling. He lifted the back of her night gown, and I saw Frosts eyes flash away in embarrassment out of the corner of my eye. I almost laughed, he was so damn _modest_ , yet he was dating a _hooker_.

"Well, Ms. Violet, I don't know how you managed it, but I don't hear any liquid in your lungs. Tell me, how long where you in the rain without cover?" he asked, the slightest hint of impression and concern in his voice.

"Um..." she said, a look of thought crossing her face. "About, four or five hours I think?" she said finally. Dr. Morell hummed, and reached into his big bag again. He pulled out a swab.

"Say " _AHHH_ " for me darling, there we are, tongue out, that's a girl. I'm going to send this swab off to the lab; they'll run for any viruses, pneumonia, strep throat, anything like that." He tucked the swab into his bag and straightened up with a large grin. He stepped around Violet, and moved toward Frost and me.

"Mr. J, I trust you have the proper supplies to keep her wounds clean?" he asked, smiling at me. I nodded sharply, and his eyes crinkled with his smile. He handed me a slip of paper with unintelligible writing. "Good, have this filled out by the pharmacist of your choice. Whenever she feels pain, she can take one tablet, but no more than four in a twenty-four hour period. I'll have those results to you by tomorrow at noon. Have a wonderful day." As he and Frost made their way out of the loft, Frost turned toward me.

"Hey, boss," he murmured, pressing Violet's phone into my hand, "I told her friend I'd have her call when she woke up. Dawn was pretty freaked out this morning." I nodded, and clapped him on the shoulder.

* * *

V

I watched J and Frost mutter, and saw a flash of light as Frost passed something metallic to J. He closed the door, and locked it, turning back around to me with a smile.

"Frost is going to fill that prescription, I'll bandage your feet up, and then you can call Dawn?" he said, strolling back towards me, waving my phone in his right hand.

 _Oh no_! Dawn, in all my excitement, and all the madness, I'd completely forgotten about her, I felt a flash of guilt, and gratefully took the phone from J.

"Thanks, babe." I murmured, blushing. He smirked at me, obviously aware of my guilt.

"It's ok, Frost went over this morning and told her what happened, or at least what he knew." I sighed in relief, and opened my phone.

I dialed, and it was only one ring before she answered. "Vi!?" her voice was breathless, and I heard men yelling, and sounds of construction in the background.

"Dawn? What's that sound?" I asked, confused.

"Huh?" There was the opening and shutting of a door, the sounds muffled, and Dawn spoke up again. "Oh, that! Frost gave me his card so I could get the door fixed. They're installing the new one right now. It's amazing what money can do. Forget about that though, are _you_ ok? What happened to you? Frost said you where hurt? Did Batman hurt you?" Her words are rapid fire, one right after the other. I smiled from my place on the couch, watching J as he sits at my feet and gently takes the left one into his lap, gauze in his hand.

"Dawn, honey breath. I'm ok, I'm fine. I mean, yes, my feet are pretty torn up, but the doctor just left. He said I was fine, no sign of pneumonia or infection."

"The bat beat your _feet_?!" She asked, incredulous.

"What?" I replied, confused for a moment, "Oh, _no_! I escaped, but I was bare foot, they got torn up running through streets and trees."

"Oh…. Well, when are you coming back?" I furrowed my brow and looked at J. He was just finishing bandaging my left foot, and pulled the other into his lap with such gentleness, that I was shocked for a moment. How could that much kindness come from such a violent man?

"I-… I don't know Dawn. He knows where you live, who you are, who I am. I have to figure out what all he knows, and how he found me before I come back. He's probably looking for us right now." She was silent. Then I heard her take a shaky breath.

"What-…. What about going home early?" she asked. I froze up, every muscle in my body tensing; J looked up at me suddenly, confused.

"What's wrong?" He mouthed, concerned, I shook my head at him, and looked away.

"I dunno Dawn, I don't know yet. I'll talk to J and get back to you, ok?" she was quiet for a long moment.

"Three days, Vi, _three days_ and you can get away from all this madness." I gulped and hummed in agreement, before saying goodbye, and hanging up.

* * *

J

I had just finished with her left foot. She was staring at my ceiling, blinking fast. I could tell she was holding back tears, and I felt guilt.

"Vi, babe?" I asked, stroking her calf gently. She put her head down, and looked at me. She looked so hopeless, and lost.

"How did he find me? What if he follows me to Texas?" she choked out, and I gulped, searching her face with my eyes.

"I-….. He _won't_ , Vi, _I promise_ , he's not going to get you again" I touched her knee gently, and she laid her hand over mine. We met each other's eyes, and I prayed that I hadn't just lied to her.

* * *

B

The girl had gotten away. By the time I made it to the room she was in, she was already running across the front lawn. I growled in anger, my cape swished behind me as I made my way to the batcave. I hopped in the car, and pressed on the gas. In the rear-view mirror, I saw Alfred, his brow furrowed.

It was hours, and hours later that I _finally_ returned home. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of the girl, any clues as to where she was had been washed away by the rain. I was kicking myself, furious. I had made the mistake of not searching her before I put her in that room, of not setting up some sort of surveillance, of not letting Alfred stay with her. I had thought, _she's just a kid from Texas_ , no training history of any kind or special skills or _anything_. Just some little college girl who thought screwing the Joker was all fun and games. My only link to the Joker, the murderer of my ward, Jason, and terror of Gotham, had jumped _my_ fence and disappeared into the night.

The sun was shining brightly, and the mud from the rain shower had dried on the car when I finally got back to the lair. Alfred was there, wearing his pajamas and dressing gown, sitting in my desk chair, reading a paper and sipping coffee. He quirked an eyebrow at me as I stormed past him, ripping off the cowl with a growl.

"Didn't find her then?" he asked. I huffed, and shot him a glare. He hummed at me, and stood.

"Perhaps, Master Wayne, you ought to get some rest? I imagine the Joker will have caught up with her by now."

"I know, Alfred. I can't rest though. I need to stake out her friend's apartment. She has to go back there at some point. I found a ticket online from Gotham airport to Dallas for three days from now."

"She's from Dallas?" Alfred asked, holding out a black cup of coffee. I hummed in acknowledgment, and nodded my head in thanks before taking a long swallow. I rubbed my face tiredly. I wanted to follow her friend, but sadly, I had to rest, and I had a meeting with the Wayne Corp. board at 2PM. I trudged to my room, slowly stripping off my gauntlets, knee pads, and other armor as I ascended the stairs. I heard Alfred tisking in annoyance as he watched me go. I felt bad for a moment, though he had told me he was my butler as I child, I knew he was really my adopted father, fathers don't clean up after their grown children, but at that moment, I was too tired to care.

I woke only an hour and a half later. I rolled out of my bed, and dressed myself impeccably as usual, a respectable appearance for a CEO. Aside from the slight bags under my blue eyes, it would have been impossible to tell that I was running on empty.

I decided, after a speedy meal, to drive myself. On my way to the office, I pulled around the back of Dawn Mulligan's apartment building. I was able to place a small camera three stories up, and after some finagling, I was able to see into the broken patio door. I was frustrated at myself for not leaving some sort of visual, or audio surveillance last night, but this was the best I could do at the moment.

The board meeting was dull. Everyone arguing about money, wanting more, saying who had too much, how to make more, and to use less. It was exhausting, and I was a nearly fifty year old bachelor who spent his nights fighting crime, this should have been a piece of cake to me. I was relieved when the board meeting finally came to an end. I was freed, and after about three hours of paper work, I was able to leave for the day without arousing suspicion.

It was just after six by the time I got home and was able to check the video feed. I reviewed the footage. The Mulligan girl and a boy with too long brown hair, her boyfriend, where arguing. This happened on and off, the girl paced a lot, and at one point, was trying to use a phone. I couldn't tell what she was doing, playing a game? Unlocking it? I had no idea. She threw the phone down in frustration. There was crying, the boy tried to make her eat, more fighting. I quirked a brow them. A man entered the frame. They were talking. I checked the time stamp; this was three hours after I'd placed the camera.

I didn't recognize him, but some part of my brain felt I should. He was talking to them, the Mulligan girl was turned away from the camera, but at one point I saw her relax in relief. The mystery man examined the broken door, kicking aside glass, and then turned back to Mulligan. Before he exited frame, he pushed cash into the girl's hand. They exited frame for a few seconds, a moment later, the Mulligan girl was back, her phone at her ear.

Over the next few hours, she had a maid come and clean the mess, dry steaming the carpet to prevent mildew from the rain, probably, and had the patio door replaced. I wondered for a moment how she did this, and cross checked the window replacement with her name and address. Nothing turned up for her name, but her address turned up a repair service receipt. The card that was charged belonged to a " _Jonathan M. Frost_ ", I ran a background check.

There wasn't much, but what there _was_ , was very interesting. He was thirty-four, an ex-marine, he worked as a sharp shooter for the US armed forced for about six years, before being honorably discharged at his own request. From there, he was listed as having odd on and off jobs for two years, all of them labor intensive, then, suddenly, about eight years ago, he dropped off the face of the earth. The only thing left of him was a few odd bank accounts. Every few weeks, he'd add a modest sum, and paid his taxes quietly. There was no telling where the money came from, but I'd bet _anything_ it had to do with the Joker.

The sun was just setting when I headed back into Gotham. I couldn't find anything about an address for Frost, except for an abandoned warehouse by the docks, and he didn't seem to own a car. I didn't know how I could find him, so I decided to follow around Dawn Mulligan. It wasn't exciting work, but I had to find Joker, and I was sure this girl was the key to that.

Dawn was dull, a boring, normal girl. She got off of her job at a local diner at midnight, and her boyfriend met her outside. They walked the two blocks to her apartment, nearly silent. By the time they reached her apartment building, I was bored. I was tempted to just attack them, and demand information, but my senses told me this girl wouldn't or couldn't answer my questions.

* * *

FRIDAY week 2

When it became clear that the Mulligan girl, and the boy with her, where asleep for the night, I went back out on patrol. A few muggings, and prevented robberies later, I found myself on the lower west side. I was creeping past a dark alley when I happened upon a wonderful chance.

There were a few prostitutes waiting for clients about twenty feet away from me. One was a pretty Samoan looking girl, who had a cast on her left leg, and was wearing a simple black mini-skirt and string bikini top. The girl next to her was smoking a cigarette, and looked far worse off that her counterpart. She was thin, and her blond hair was raggedy, she was dressed cheaply, and her mascara was streaked under her eyes.

"So." Said the blond, blowing smoke away from her friend, "Have you moved in with Frost yet?" She waggled her eyes at the other girl, who huffed and smirked to herself.

"Yeah, J found out about us a few days ago." She said, pushing her dark hair behind her shoulder.

" _No Fucking way_!" the blonde gasped, ashing her cigarette, "How the hell are you still _alive_?! How the fuck is _he_ still alive?! When he found out that Nathan was screwing Ayesha, he cut his fucking tongue out!" The Samoan girl nodded solemnly.

"I know, but apparently he was fine with it. The way Johnny tells it, as long as no one finds out where we live, it's all good I guess."

"Wait?" said the blonde, confused, "Why does that matter?"

The Samoan girl looked around, and leaned in. I was behind a dumpster, but moved closer, sticking to the shadows, in order to hear the girls talk. "Don't tell anyone, but…" I saw her lips moving in the dark, but couldn't make out the words. The blonde's eyes went wide in shock.

"SHUT UP!" she screeched, and the Samoan girl glared at her. "Oh, Em, sorry, it's just, holy shit? The same building?" she hissed, leaning in towards her friend. The Samoan girl, " _Em_ " nodded.

"Yeah, I know this sounds weird, especially since it's J, but I think if he had friends, Johnny would be one." Em shrugged, and turned towards a rather clean cut man I recognized as a board member for my company, who took her hand and led her to a sleek car.

* * *

The rest of the night was spent trailing after the girl, she had a lot of Jons, but all of them where clean cut, and she always went into a nice car, or some sort of building with them. The sun was just beginning to rise when she exited a sleek black sports car. I saw the hand of her last Jon hand her a wad of bills, before the car sped away. She slipped the money into her purse, and straightened out her skirt and top, before pulling out a phone.

"Hi honey,… Yep, I'm done for the day. How's J doing?... And Vi?... Oh thank goodness, I'm glad she's ok….. Oh, I'm on 15th and McGuire, on the west side…. Ok, I'll wait for you…. I love you too Johnny… ok hun, I'll see you soon… Oh no, I don't have class today…. Maybe I can stay with her for a bit? So you and J can get some work done?...Ok sure, no problem!... alright, love you!" She hung up the phone, and slipped it back in her purse. She leaned against the wall, and smiled, seemingly at ease.

It was nearly daylight; I was tired, but also uncomfortable. I didn't like to be out in public as batman during the day light. I slipped down the alleyway, and pressed a button on my gauntlet, a moment later there was the sound of an engine. A motorcycle pulled up next to me, and I removed my cape, tucking it away. I slipped on a normal helmet, and slipped on a plain black motor jacket. It was still obvious that I was wearing some sort of military grade gear, but hopefully it was hidden enough that this Frost guy wouldn't notice. I rode the motorcycle out of the ally, and parked far enough away that the girl wouldn't notice me.

Five minutes later, a sleek SUV with no plates pulled up to the curb. The girl hopped in, and they sped off. I used back alleys and cut a crosses, keeping out of sight. The SUV stopped at a local pharmacy, and I saw a man, Frost presumably, jump out. A few minutes later he reemerged, a bag in his hand. He slipped back into the car, and we where off once more. Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the parking garage of a tall building in downtown Gotham. The building was just like any other, and I realized I could see this particular building from my office. I had looked down upon occasion, and seen the blue of a swimming pool. Because of this, I had assumed it was either a hotel, or loft building. It seemed I was right.

I turned my bike around, and sped home. I would need to prepare, and examine the building, to know if it was even the Jokers home.


	14. The Art of Being in Love

A/N last chapter for today ya'll, thank you for all of those who've read this again!

I don't own what I don't own, POV switches

J-Joker

V-Violet

B-Bruce/batman

A-Alfred

F-Frost

E-Emelina

D-Dawn

* * *

V

I woke early, hissing at the pain in my feet. J was out of bed in a flash, there was rustling of plastic in the front room, and he reemerged, bag in one hand, glass of water in the other. He sat on the bed next to me, and handed me the water.

"Thank you hun." I murmured, taking a sip and putting the glass on my bedside table before sitting up more fully. He leaned over and pecked me on the cheek before opening the sack. He pulled out a pill bottle, which he passed to me. I recognized the name of a common pain killer, and gratefully took the appointed amount.

I yawned and stretched. Despite the fact that I had slept most of the day before, we ended up going to bed earlyish. It was now 11AM, and I felt my bladder was full, and my stomach empty. "Jjjjjj.." I whined in a high pitched tone, pouting at him.

"Mmmm, yes dear?" he said, leaning towards me over the bed, his hand running down my thigh. I blushed and grabbed his hand before it slipped up my night gown.

"Um, honey, bathroom?" I asked, he pouted at me for a moment, before standing. He dutifully swept one arm under my knees, the other behind my back. I giggled as I was lifted, and carried to the bathroom.

After doing my business, and brushing my teeth, J carried me back into the front room, and set me gently on the couch. "What would you like for breakfast, dove?" he asked, pecking me on the temple. I smiled up at him, and leaned back on the large couch.

"Hmmm, what can you cook?" I asked, following his movements in the kitchen. He gave me a pointed look, and rolled his eye.

"My adoptive grand-father taught me how to cook most everything under the sun." he said, raising an eyebrow. I grinned at him in delight.

"Ok then, Crepes?" he winked at me, and opened a cupboard, removing flour.

"As you wish." He said. I grinned at him, suddenly reminded of our first night together when I made a quip about the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Breakfast was lovely, and J was a wonderful cook. Afterwards he carried me into the bathroom, and we bathed together. I sat on the bench, and left my feet unbandaged. His hands where through, tracing every inch of me, whispering how beautiful I was, and how I was his. His hands eventually found their way down my body, and I whimpered as he slowly fingered me. It wasn't long before we had switched places. He was sitting on the tile bench, and I was straddling him. I rode him and we both groaned. He kissed me, and unlike the last time by the bay, this was slow. He was mindful of my feet, and fretfully kept me from putting any weight on them. It was a whole other kind of attractive to see him so concerned about me. His hands weren't harsh, and no one was dominate. We took our time, and by the time we both came, the water had almost run cold. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he stood, and turned off the shower. I laved at his shoulder as we made our way out of the shower, he groaned at me, and kissed my neck, before setting me on the edge of the bathtub. I pouted as he pulled away, and he grinned at me.

"Sorry Dove, We've got to get dressed though."

"Whyyyy?" I whined as he wrapped me in a towel.

"Frost will be up soon, I have a meeting at the club." He gave me a guilty look, "Would you mind if Emelina stayed with you for a while?" I huffed as he pulled a pair of boxers and pants on.

"I suppose." I sighed dramatically, and he grinned at me, a childish gleam in his eyes.

"Thanks babe." He winked at me, and there was a knock from the front room.

He walked out, and a moment later returned, bag in hand. He dumped it out onto the bed, and I recognized Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein labels. It was a simple outfit, black cotton shorts, and panties, an oddly comfortable looking sports bra, and a dark blue tank top. They where good clothes for a day of keeping off my feet.

"More clothes?" I said, raising a brow at him. He shrugged at me.

"I don't have any more for you here, and Frost forgot to grab some from Dawn's place." He smiled at me, and brushed hair out of my eyes.

I still wasn't crazy about him spending so much money on me, but I didn't argue. Instead, I let him help me dress, he held my weight off my feet as I slid into the panties and shorts, and once I was dressed, he carried me back into the front room. Frost was there, lounging against the counter in the kitchen, Emelina was in-between his legs. They where giggling and his face was buried in her neck, his hands around her waist. They really where a very cute couple.

Em pushed on Frost and stepped away, clearing her throat and blushing in embarrassment when she saw us. I grinned at them, and winked at Frost, who flushed brightly. J smirked at them, and set me on the couch.

"Ok, Vi, Frost and I will be gone a few hours. When I get back, do you want to go to Dawn's?" he asked, smiling at me.

"Yes, please!" I said. I needed to get my clothes, and I wanted to see how Dawn was doing. J pecked me on the cheek, and stepped away, throwing a gun holster over his shoulders, and adding a black leather coat over it.

"Bye Johnny." Said Em brightly, pecking him on the cheek before he walked toward the door. He nodded at me, and winked.

"Ms. Wardust." He said as he pulled the front door open for J.

"Mr. Frost" I replied, grinning at him. He cracked a small smile at me, winked at Emelina, and followed J out the door.

* * *

E

The Violet girl was quiet, and easy to spend time with. We ended up having a very lazy day. We didn't really have much in common, so conversation was friendly, but sparse. The most difficult thing for me was helping her to the bathroom.

"How are we supposed to do this?" I said, scratching my head as I looked at her. She was smaller than me, but I wasn't nearly strong enough to carry her to the toilet. She hummed for a moment, and cast her eyes around. Finally they landed on a spinning chair in front of J's desk set up.

"There." She said, pointing at it, "we'll use it as a make-shift wheelchair." I grinned at her and dragged the chair over. It took a bit of work, but eventually she was in the chair, both her feet held up in the air. I began to push, and we both screeched as the chair tipped over because of the uneven weight.

I heard her gasp in pain, and was suddenly very worried. We had landed in a heap on the floor, and I rolled off of her. She suddenly began to giggle, and I couldn't help was join her.

"Well, shit!" she giggled, looking around from her place on the floor.

"I don't think that worked well." I pointed out, rearranging my glasses. We both began to giggle again. I don't know why that was so funny, but the image of the Joker's girlfriend, sprawled on the floor, her feet bandaged, was oddly hysterical to me.

After that failed venture, which ended with her crawling to the bathroom like a baby, which led to another giggling fit, we began to talk more.

"So," she said, muting the Friends rerun we were watching. I hummed at her, around the ice cream spoon in my mouth. "Tell me your story? How long have you been dating Frost?" she asked, tilting her head, and holding the ice cream pint out.

"Well…." I said slowly, removing the spoon from my mouth, "Johnny and I have been dating about a year and a half now. I uh…." I shrugged at her, "I actually work for J. As a-"

"Prostitute, I know." She said, smiling easily. I was taken aback, usually when people found out my profession, they acted holier than thou, as if they were perfect, and I wasn't worth as much because of how I made my money. She didn't look at me any different, and I felt my heart swell with affection for this girl.

"Yeah. That's how I met Johnny. We, uh, started as a fling, but he'd come to my part of town to collect J's cut and check on the girls, make sure no one was giving us trouble, that kind of stuff. Anyway, I always thought he was cute, I mean, you've seen him." She giggled at me and waggled her eye brows.

"Oh yeah girl, he's my usual type actually. Tall, muscular, wealthy, employed gentleman."

"What more could a girl want?" we both said at the same time, breaking into another fit of giggles.

"Yeah, but at first, he just wanted to leave it at the one night stand, you know?" I continued, rolling my eyes. "Eventually he agreed to get a cup of coffee with me, and the rest is history." She awed and made a pouty goo-goo eyed face at me.

I blushed and looked away, "Well what about you?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, to be honest, J stalked me." I blanched, looking at her as if she was mad.

"No way!" I gasped in disbelief. She rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Oh yeah, it was creepy. Eventually I gave him a chance to explain. And he explained himself, explained himself right into my pants." I snorted in laughter and began to crack up.

"Oh my god!" I gasped out finally, wiping tears from under my eyes. "So now what?" I asked genuinely curious. Johnny had told me about how she had to go back to Texas soon, and I was curious as to how she was going to keep this going.

* * *

V

My face fell, and I furrowed my brow. I went back to scrapping the bottom of the ice cream pint. "I dunno, actually." I muttered.

"What do you want to do?" Emelina asked me. I looked at her, surprised. No one had really asked that. Not, _what does J want, what should you do, who do you want to be with_ , not _pick an option, this or that_ , just, _what would you want_?

I gulped, and opened my mouth, opening and closing it once, twice, three times. Finally I spoke, "I think, in a perfect world, I'd have the time with J. The time to get past all the madness, and find his heart. If I could, I think I'd want a mix of the normal life and this." I gestured around with my left hand, and sighed again.

"But sadly, I don't have that option. Right now, it kind of looks like I either get Gotham or Dallas. J or my normal life." Em cocked her head.

"What's your normal life?" she asked. I huffed out a laugh and rolled my eyes.

"A shitty job, a dead beat dad, an over bearing mother, boring college classes, and a handful of friends who are all being slowly engulfed by their own life." I frowned and wrinkled my nose. It wasn't much of a life, but it was my life.

"Doesn't sound like much of a life?" Em echoed my thought, rising from the couch with our trash and dishes in hand.

"Yeah…" I mumbled, looking out over Gotham. It was still day light, about 4PM, and the sun flashed off of the sky scrapers around us, it looked like diamonds over looking dirty streets full of dirtier people.

* * *

J

The arms dealer was a pain in the ass, but finally we reached a compromise. It cost me 10K more than I originally planned, but I got what I wanted. I finally made it home with Frost about 5PM. I figured Vi must be getting antsy, holed up all day. Before Frost and I had headed home, we swung by a boutique in down town. I picked up a breezy sun dress for Violet to wear to Dawns. It was simple, and white with little lavender flower detailing. I also grabbed her a shawl, and we finally headed home.

Em and Vi where giggling at a TV show, and I smiled at the sight. It was so normal, so domestic. I almost forgot, for a moment, that it wasn't my friend's girlfriend and my own girlfriend, bonding over girly shows. Almost. I was still a criminal, Frost was still my employee, Emelina was still one of my hookers, and, I was pretty sure, Violet was still just a fling.

* * *

 _Hey!-V_

 _OMG! Vi, I havn't heard from you all day, where are you?-D_

 _I'm at J's, want to have dinner with us?-V_

 _Jer is here?-D_

 _….._

 _J says he can come?-V_

 _Where are we going?-D_

 _J's place, it'll be a triple date.-V_

 _Triple?-D_

 _Yeah, Frost and his girl friend Emelina are here.-V_

 _Ok, where do we meet you?-D_

 _We're actually coming to you. J wants me to stay with him till I leave Monday, so I need to grab my stuff.-V_

 _What? Why?-D_

 _He thinks it'll be safer. If I go back to your place, the bat will be able to find me.-V_

 _Oh, I guess that makes sense.-D_

 _Frost and J and I will be there in 20.-V_

 _Ok, want me to pack your stuff up?-D_

 _No, we'll do it when we get there.-V_

 _Ok, see you soon,Vi.-D_

* * *

V

J was holding me in his arms when Dawn opened the door. I grinned at her. "Hi, Dawn!" I called, grinning and waving. She cocked an eyebrow at me, concerned.

"Um, why?" she started.

"My feet are all messed up. Doc said to stay off 'em till at least tomorrow." I shrugged as J stepped in and placed me on the couch.

"Oh, hey Vi!" said Jer, walking out of the bathroom. He pushed his too long hair out of his face and grinned at us. I waved cheerfully from my place on the couch.

"Hey Jer, how was work?" he rolled his eyes.

"A pain, Wayne showed up late, _as usual_ , so I had to stay late to clean up the conference room they used. Honestly, it's like that man has no semblance of time, he's a multi-millionaire, you think he'd be able to afford a damn clock." Jer groaned, irritated. J scoffed in a laugh from behind me. I grinned and rolled my eyes.

"Rich folks, am I right?" I said. Jer rolled his eyes and nodded his head in agreement.

We left a few minutes later, Frost, with my and Dawns direction, had helped me pack my bags. He and Jer where kind enough to carry them down while J carried me.

We all squeezed into the SUV, and Dawn and I chatted about Batman, and the patio door on our way back to J's place.

* * *

B

I had been in the batcave, preparing for patrol, when I looked over at the monitor for Mulligan's apartment. I blinked and did a double take, sure I was mistaken. I wasn't.

Dawn Mulligan, her boyfriend, Jeremiah Dooer,( who I had looked up that evening, he actually worked for my company ,oddly enough, as a janitor), Violet Wardust, the Joker, and his right hand man, Frost, where all standing in the girls apartment. The conversation appeared to be cheery, and I saw that the Violet girl was being carried around. I felt a little bit of guilt, but ignored it.

It took a few minutes, but eventually they all left the apartment. I quickly suited up, and headed over.

The lock was laughably easy to pick. Her apartment was small, but cozy. There was a main area, mostly an open floor, with a kitchen, small dining room, and living room. I snooped around her living room and kitchen, but found nothing of interest. A few pictures of Dawn with friends and family, a few of her and Violet as children, her with a group of people I assumed to be her family, a woman who she bore a striking resemblance to, a man with a stern face and tight smile, and a young boy with his father's nose, and mothers smile, another of a Halloween from what must have been years ago. The girls were all very young, no more than fifteen at the oldest, and dressed up, a pirate, Dawn, a panda, a mad hatter, that was Violet, and a busty bar maid.

The entertainment system was modest, her kitchen what I would expect from a college student. There where textbooks strewn here and there, an apron with the name of the diner Dawn worked at stamped on it. It was a quaint home, and clearly a _home_. Her room was dark, and once I turned on the light, I saw a simple black and white room with hints of red. Her bed was medium sized, queen or full, and had black and white floral bedding. The sheets where a deep red, and the covers where thrown back on both sides. Obviously her boyfriend had stayed with her. Her clothes where tossed in a hamper in the corner, and his where kicked into a corner of the room, jeans, and a shirt with the Wayne company logo on it. There where pony tail holders on his side of the bed, and a half solved cross word puzzle. On her side of the bed was a fantasy book, a picture of her and Jeremiah, and a pair of glasses. Her room was tidy, she had a shelf in the corner of the room, with what I figured out was perfumes. I vaguely remembered that she ran an online store, selling fragrances', and other artsy grooming products.

The room was mostly empty, and I opened drawers, hoping for something useful. Clothes, some receipts, blankets, sheets, drawer full of thank you cards, a small jewelry box! I pulled it out, and after some rooting around in her bedside drawer, I found a small key in the very back. I opened the box, and was disappointed to see nothing but a few rings, tangled necklaces, and a wad of cash. I closed and replaced the box, frustrated. Just as I was about to give up and leave, I saw a light blinking from under her side of the bed.

I pulled out her laptop, and switched it on. It was password protected, I huffed in annoyance. After a few minutes, I had Fox on the phone, and with some help on my end, he finally was able to remotely unlock the laptop. I scrolled through, hoping for anything. Pictures, papers, essays, original stories, Netflix, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing I could use, or wouldn't be able to find on my own. I growled and angrily replaced the laptop. I opened her closet, and immediately shut it. It was a _mess_ , and I wasn't about to dig through her clothes.

I finally walked back out into the front room. I decided to plant some surveillance camera and audio. Each of her vents, and her bedroom lamp were bugged. I tested the connection, and finally left, after making sure everything was as I had found it.

* * *

D

It was late before we finally got home. Frost had walked us to the door, and checked the apartment before we entered. He smiled at us and left, bidding us a good night. I groaned and stretched, yawning. It was nearly midnight, and Jer had work in the morning. My shift didn't start till noon, but I was still tired.

Dinner was, oddly enough, a pleasant affair. I had to admit that seeing the Joker carry around my friend was odd, entertaining, and adorable. Joker, J as he had insisted we call him, had made dinner, a simple chicken sauté, with a white wine sauce. It was pretty good, and the conversation flowed easily. He was cultured, and intelligent. He knew a lot about most everything, and when he looked at my friend, I saw love in his eyes.

"Jer…" I sighed, frowning as I changed into my pajamas.

"Yeah, babe?" he asked, shucking off his pants.

"I… I'm worried." He adjusted the waist band on his sleep pants, and cocked his head at me.

"About what, honey?" he asked gently, coming to sit beside me. I sighed as I pulled down my hair, combing through it with my fingers.

"Violet, I think the Joker-"

"J?" he asked, pushing my hair out of my eyes. I rolled my eyes at him and continued.

"J, Joker, Jingle Jheighmer Schmitt, _whatever_. I think he's in love with Violet."

"Well…. Yeah?" said Jer, as if it was completely obvious. I gave him a pointed look.

"And I'm worried." I pressed on.

"Because they're in love?" he asked, confused. I groaned, and stood, moving to the bath room.

"No," I called as I removed my contacts, "It's not just that Jer, I mean, don't you see how reckless this is?" I sighed as I reentered the room, frowning.

He stood and moved toward me, "Dawn, babe." He said, cupping my cheek. "Look, I know you're worried, and I know you won't exactly like this, but, and I mean this in the best way possible way, neither of us are really in a position to tell her what to do with her life, yeah?" he gave me a crooked smile, and I furrowed my brow.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused for a moment.

"Babe." He said, grinning at me, "I'm an ex-criminal who works as a janitor, and you're the daughter of a sheriff. I'm not exactly about to be bringing home good money any time soon, and your family isn't exactly crazy about me."

I cocked an eyebrow at him, "ok? So…?"

" _So_ , I still love you, and you still love me." He continued, cocking an eyebrow at me. I sighed and hugged him, laying my head on his chest.

I knew he was right. No one really liked us together, not my mom, definitely not my dad, and I'd even gotten a feeling that Vi wasn't exactly crazy about him. But I still loved Jer. He was so different than me, where he was crass and reserved, I was gentle and outgoing, where he was scared of trusting, I was the one who got burned from trusting to easily, where he saw nothing, I saw everything. We really where very different, yet I couldn't imagine my life without him.

* * *

A

I was confused. I had just come down into Bruce's batcave when I heard the girl talking. I had meant to only pop in a moment, to see if he had left any dishes down here, _of course_ he did. He was always drinking and eating down here, and leaving the dishes about. My spoilt little, ADD brat.

She said the _Joker_ was in love. But that couldn't be. From what we knew of the Joker, his only objective was chaos and power. Love was a selfless thing, the complete opposite of what he was. For the Joker to be in love meant that he wasn't who or what we thought.

Up until now, Bruce and I had been looking for a connection between the Violet girl, and the Joker. There had to be one. The Joker only made connections that benefited him, his past…. Romances, had all either ended in death, or as a fling. It was frustrating; we couldn't find one thing that this Violet girl had that the Joker would want. But, listening to the Mulligan girl, I thought, perhaps, she _did_ have something. She had his heart. And that was far more valuable than anything else the Joker owned.


	15. Batsy Comes for a Visit

A/N Hey ya'll! I'm going to post two chapters today, then I'll be leaving ya'll hanging till at least sunday. i know, i'm super mean. *evil grin*

In other news, I'm about 2/3 of the way done with the sequel. I also know exactly how everything will end, so no need to fret, you'll not be left in the dark.

* * *

POV switches

J-Joker

V-Violet

B-Batsy

A-Alfred

D-Dawn

F-Frost

E-Emelina

* * *

SATURDAY week 2

V

J was gone when I woke. I rolled over and took my pain medication, before gingerly placing my feet on the ground. It still ached a bit, like bruises, but most of the biting pain was gone. I moved slowly, and made my way into the bathroom.

I finally, slowly, made my way to the front room. There was a small piece of paper on the counter.

 _Gone to take care of business and breakfast, be back soon.-J_

I smiled, and hobbled to the kitchen, pulling down a mug. I had just poured a cup of coffee and taken the first sip when J walked in. He had a few specks of blood in his bright green hair, and a bag of donuts in his hand. I grinned and giggled at the sight.

"What?" he asked, coming over and pecking me on the cheek. I reached up, and used my nails to remove the dried blood from his hair.

"Someone being difficult?" I asked, with my brow raised. I should be freaked out, but honestly, by this point, I'd just come to accept it. J let out a small laugh and rolled his eyes.

"Well, you know babe, money ain't free." He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. He gave me another kiss, and walked into the bedroom. A few minutes later he reemerged. His hair was still wet from his quick shower, the blood gone, and he was shirtless, dressed in a pair of black jeans. I bit my lip as I looked at him, once again taken by his _damn_ good looks. Despite the silver grill, and bright red lips, there was no denying that he had a lovely face. His jaw was strong, his chin just the right side of sharp, his cheek bones where high, and the way his blue eyes looked at me….

"Do you want to do something today?" he asked, smiling at me. I shook myself out of my reverie.

"Do something?" I asked, cocking my head.

"Yeah, nothing with a lot of walking of course, but you've got to be getting antsy, and you might be leaving day after tomorrow." He shrugged, but I saw sorrow in his eyes.

"Sure." I said, smiling at him, "What'd you have in mind?"

* * *

In the end we settled on an opera, put on by a local arts company. Frost was given the day off, much to his reluctance. He was worried about the Batman, but J didn't seem too worried.

Since the Opera was just after 3PM, my sundress from the day before was appropriate enough. I wore a soft pair of sandals that J had Frost fetch before he was let go for the day. J chose a more subdued car this time, a sleek silver sports car with heavily tented windows.

The walk to the car was slow, but I wouldn't let J carry me, so I moved slowly, shuffling along, walking as lightly as possible, my feet where still tender, but not painful. When we got to the car, he opened the door for me, and winked as he slid into the seat next to me. He was dressed casually today, a tight white t-shirt, jeans, and converse. He had thrown a black leather jacket over the shirt, concealing his gun holster.

We stopped at a high class bistro for lunch, it was a lovely place, with French dishes I had no hope of pronouncing. Oddly enough, J spoke them so eloquently that I had to ask if he knew French. To which he nodded and recited a short beautiful poem in French.

"J'ai aimé jusqu'à atteindre la folie. Ce que certains appellent la folie,mais ce qui pour moi, est la seule façon d'aimer." He said, grinning at me, before taking my hand in his, and bringing it to his lips.

 _(A/N: the translation is "I have loved to the point of madness; That which is called madness, That which to me, Is the only sensible way to love." and it's a quote by Françoise Sagan)_

I had no idea what he said, but I still blushed bright red, and smiled before looking down. Lunch was delicious, and I told him a story about the time I was 16, and had the pleasure of visiting Quebec in Canada. He then told me a story of being 15 and visiting Paris with his adoptive-father, and adoptive-grandfather. His smile was small, and just a little sad.

"Will you tell me about them?" I asked, laying down my fork, and placing my hand over his. He furrowed his brow for a moment, and then opened his mouth.

"I had it pretty bad as a kid. But then…" he pauses for a moment, and I see him cast his eyes about. "My mom started dating this guy shortly before she got in a car crash and died. The guy was loaded, and while he was a little distant, he was still a relatively good father. He worked a lot though, so he was out of the house often. His dad lived with us, and he was great. I loved my grandpa; he was really good to me. He _always_ took care of me, he was always making dinner, since my adoptive-dad couldn't cook, he took me to school, helped with homework. He was great, a real bad ass too." J smirks at me, "He was in the armed forces for years, before he finally retired. He stayed in shape though, and could probably still have kicked ass if needed. He wasn't really that old, or at least he never seemed it to me." J looked away for a moment.

"I miss him every day. Sometimes I wish I could go back to my life before the vats, you know? Before I became this. I think about what I'd do differently…." He trails off, and takes a sip of the white wine at his elbow.

The rest of lunch is quiet, as I try to piece together what I know about him. I know he's lying _somewhere_ in the story, but I can't quiet figure out where. He says he used to be good, but then the Joker, the first Joker, got him, and fucked him up. It doesn't make sense though, from what he just told me, he was a normal kid. Perhaps the Joker took him for ransom? He did say his adoptive-dad was loaded, but then why didn't he just go back to his family? He told me once that they thought him dead, _why_ couldn't he go back? Didn't they _miss_ him? Didn't they still look for him? Obviously if he's before me, they couldn't have found a body….

 _Nothing made sense._

* * *

B

I saw him there. At the opera. His body guard wasn't with him, but that _girl_ was. They were smiling, and casually, but cleanly, dressed. I had come at Alfred's insistence. He said I needed to get out of the house, and not in my batsuit. He insisted I try going to a museum, movie, play, something to get me out in the public eye for even a moment.

 _"People need to see you, Bruce. The more reclusive you are, the more people begin to distrust you."_ He said, wagging a finger at me. I huffed, and moaned, but still let him usher me out the door. I don't think the Joker saw me, hell I wouldn't have seen him if it wasn't for his bright green hair. His reserved box was just slightly to my right, and two up, and my heart jumped when I saw him.

I know I didn't go out as batman during the day, _but….._

* * *

I was grateful that the opera was so long, nearly four hours. I was able to use a grapple hook and suction cups to climb the building. It was nearly thirty stories tall, but I didn't mind. I was the Batman, I fly with ease.

I don't know how no one saw me, probably because I chose the side of the building facing an alleyway. But regardless it wasn't long before I was at the rooftop. From there it was a simple matter of picking the lock on the rooftop access, and disabling the alarms. I only had five minutes before the alarms would go off, and Joker would know that someone was in his home, for I could see now it was his home, unless I made it out in that time. I had stepped from the rooftop access into a lounge area, and found a front door, made of black glass, unlocked.

There wasn't a lot of decoration in his home, a few art pieces and two pictures. One was he and Frost, both with a beer in hand; sitting in what I imagined was the VIP lounge in Jokers club, the King of Hearts. They where grinning, and appeared to be caught in the middle of a laugh. It was _odd_ to see this.

The other picture was the doctor, Harleen Quinzel. She was in his arms, kissing his cheek, and he was obviously taking the photo, arm raised, camera pointed at them. How odd. I always thought he had killed her. Very odd indeed. The rest of the front room was useless, but I could see an office behind a large glass door, to the left of me, right of the main entrance.

Time was running out, and I knew the office was probably where I'd spend the most time, so for now I by passed it and instead headed to a darkened room on my right. Once I stepped in, I could see it was a bedroom. There was a dirty clothes hamper in one corner, a woman's nightgown tossed over it lazily. The sheets where rumpled, and the door to his closet open. There where clothes, and weapons in there. At the back of one drawer, I found a small box hidden behind a false back. I knew I didn't have time to open the box there, so I held onto it, deciding to open it when I was home. I replaced the false back, and after assuring myself there was nothing else useful, I reentered the bedroom.

A few loose ammo shells, and a gun cleaning kit, along with two pairs of house slippers, one pink and fluffy, the other black and of high quality, where the only things under his bed. I explored the bathroom next. A shower, large, a tub, larger, woman's cosmetic bag, first aid supplies under the sink, and men's grooming supplies, nothing of use to me. I reentered the office, three and a half minutes before the alarm sounded.

There was a laptop at the desk, I implanted a USB in the side, and released a Trojan horse into the hard drive. I knew I didn't have time to unlock the laptop and explore it, so this was the next best option. It would allow me to remotely explore his desk top, and survey anything he did on there. In a locked cabinet, which I easily opened, I found papers. There was a file on Frost, his birth certificate, allergies, none, blood type, o-, and history. Dead sister, estranged parents, deceased grandparents and fraternal uncle. Nothing else of use there. There was also a file on Violet Wardust, Harleen Quinzel, and Dawn Mulligan. Another file held financing accounts and tax forms for the club. I was frustrated to find nothing on the Joker himself.

Finally, after nearly tearing apart the office, and with only two minutes to spare, I found a file in his desk. It was simply labeled "J". It had basic information on him.

Blood type, AB-, _the same as Jason's_ , my mind supplies.

Height, 6'2", allergies, N/A, intolerance to penicillin, _(Like Jason)_ , his weight, nothing useful, unless I wanted to be his doctor.

But there, a description of him, pre-ACE chemicals. Blue eyes, black hair, Caucasian.

Huh… I furrow my brow, and my timer beeps.

"Fuck!" I hiss, and looked at it. One minute to go. I hurriedly replaced everything, hoping against hope that none of it was out of place. The box was still grasped in my left hand as I exited the loft. I threw open the rooftop door, and raced up the stairs.

20…19….18….17….16….15…. I'm at the door. I pulled it open, and jump through, punching in a code to turn off the alarm. I escape with 5 seconds to spare, and use a grapple hook to swing myself down to my car.

* * *

J

We giggle as we step off the elevator and into the lounge before my loft. I automatically freeze, my body going stiff.

"J?" Violet asks, concerned about my sudden change.

"Leave." I bark, reaching for my gun.

"What?" she says confused.

"Go, two floors down, Frost should be there, if not, his code is April251995, go, now Violet!" I hiss at her. She's confused, but doesn't argue. I wait till the elevator dings closed before approaching. The loft door is hanging open, just the _tiniest_ bit, but there, on the floor, is a bit of _gravel_ , and the rug is turned up slightly.

Someone either _still is_ , or _was_ , in my loft. I enter cautiously, gun raised. Nothing is out of place, and I feel the hairs on my neck standing on end. It only takes a quick sweep to clear all the rooms. Someone _was_ there, but not anymore. I run my hands through my hair, panic and rage beating in my heart. I don't know who it was, but I know this can't be good.

I check my office first; the lock on my cabinet has a small scrape on it. Someone opened it. I rifle through my papers, nothing is missing, only slightly out of order. Whoever did this tried to be careful, but they're sloppy. Once I see that nothing is missing, I open my laptop. I run a quick, untraceable scan. Just as I suspected, someone has inserted a Trojan horse. They can see what I do, and go through my files. I don't erase it yet, or wipe the hard drive. I have the upper hand at the moment; _they_ don't know _I_ know that they've been here. That means I can take them by surprise.

I move from my office into my bedroom. Nothing in my bathroom is out of order, not that I expected it to be. I rifle through my closet. Clothes are all neatly hung, shoes in a row. I open my dresser drawers. Someone took the time to lay everything back flat, or they didn't go through it at all. I pull open the second drawer on the right hand side, and feel past the sleep clothes. I pull open the false backing, and panic soars through me.

 _The box is gone._

* * *

B

I've finally made it home, and after some finagling, I manage to open the silver box. It's about the length of a pencil, and the width of a CD case. The box is deep, and when I open it, the papers inside have been neatly packed.

I pull out the top layer, a folded piece of white paper, addressed to Frost. I set it to the side for later, and decide to flip through the pictures.

The more I flip through them.

 _The_

 _More_

 _I_

 _Panic._

I come to a picture at the bottom, and a small handkerchief. I unwrap it, and in my blind panic, I hit the alarm. The alarm that tells Alfred something terrible has happened and I need him in the batcave immediately.

I can't breath. Because at the bottom of the box, lays _my fathers_ pocket watch.

* * *

A/n DUH DUH DUH

Oh no! Trinkets from Jason's old life? A mysterious letter to Frost? What's going to happen now!

(JK, I'm about to post another chapter. you don't have to wonder at all.)


	16. The Truth Comes Out

A/N there's only one chapter after this, since I've decided to include the epilogue. _**WARNING there will be discussion of violence, and attempted rape of a minor, I will bold this part as best I can in case you feel the need to skip it. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED**_

* * *

POV switches

A-Alfred

B-Bats

J-Joker

V-Violet

F-Frost

E-Emelina

D-Dawn

* * *

A

The alarm is blaring, and I'm up in an instant. The adrenaline and focus of my time with her majesties armed forces flows through me. The alarm on my bed side phone is screaming at me. My heart constricts. There are two alarms in the batcave, one is, _I'm hurt please come patch me up_ , and one is _I'm moments from death_. The latter has only been pressed twice before now. One was at the beginning, when Bruce was still new to this, he got himself beat half to death by a group of thugs.

I patched him up, but he was in and out of consciousness for a week, and it was only my medical training and access to wealth that kept me from having to take Bruce to a hospital. The other was when Jason died. No, when Jason was _murdered_.

I jump out of bed and dash to the door. My dressing gown is slung over my chest of drawers, and I yank it off. As I do, I hear wood clattering, and glass breaking. I look down; on the floor is a picture of Jason and I. He's fifteen, and grinning at the camera. I had taken him to a lake that weekend, to give him a rest from being Robin. Bruce had caught wind of a plot, something volatile and deadly. He asked me to take Jason away, he didn't want him there if the plot succeeded. He'd also sent a message to Dick, just in case he wanted to visit.

Bruce stopped the plot. No one was hurt. The lake was lovely, and I taught Jason how to clean fish, and let him drive a truck. He had fun that weekend. Two years later he would be dead, murdered by the Joker.

I didn't have time for this; I turned and ran from the room. The tile, then wood, then marble, was cold on my feet, on my way down the hidden elevator, I threw on my dressing gown, and tied it about my waist. The moment the elevator opened, I was running again. But suddenly I skidded to a halt, the cold metal of the floor biting my feet.

There was Bruce, not _hurt_ , not _dying_. Relief swept through me. Bruce may be a grown man, but he was _still_ my ward, nearly my son. And he wasn't hurt, not that I could see.

"Bruce?" I asked stepping towards him. He looked up at me, his eyes blank, lost.

"It's him." He muttered. I furrowed my brow, confused.

"What's him?" I asked, coming closer. There was some kind of metal box opened on the table in front of Bruce. There where pictures, the Joker and his henchman, Frost, the Joker alone, Red Hood, Jason, more Jason…. Jason and Bruce, Jason and I, Jason and Dick, Jason and all of us together….

"How?" I asked, confused. There was _no way_ the Joker could have gotten these. Bruce had boarded up Jason's room after his death, in fact; he barely went in that wing of the manor. He was so _angry_ with himself for letting Jason die, that he wouldn't let himself grieve. Neither of us had been near Jason's room in years. The last time I looked down the hallway with Jason's room, there was dust covering the floor, and the tables dotted along the hallway. I didn't touch it, I didn't clean it, and the maids never went near it.

"He's alive." Bruce croaked out. He sniffled, and I looked at him confused again. He held out his hand, still covered in his gauntlet.

It was his father's pocket watch, laying in one of my handkerchiefs. I could see the fine white linen, and the gold thread on the corner, spelling out my initials, _AP_. I was taken aback. I had given this handkerchief to Jason when he found out his mother wasn't his birth mother. He had been crying, and I had pressed the handkerchief into his hands, letting him dab his wet eyes. The pocket watch….

Bruce still had many things that belonged to his father. One was a lighter, which he had passed on to Dick when he moved out and joined the Teen Titans, and another was a pocket watch. His father had worn it upon occasion, and the back was inscribed with his initials. Bruce had gifted it to Jason on his 16th birthday.

 _"You've helped me save Gotham, Jason,"_ Bruce said, _"And now you've taken a step toward adulthood. I'm proud of you son."_ He clapped Jason on the shoulder, and they grinned at each other…

"He's the Joker." Bruce said, looking up at me. Suddenly, he wasn't a nearly fifty year old man, and I wasn't his nearly eighty year old "butler", he was a little boy. He was ten, his mother's blood splashed on his sweet face, looking at me in despair and confusion. His eyes where blank and lost, and nothing made sense to him. He was so young. How can someone so _young_ know so much sorrow?

"Impossible." I whispered, pulling my eyes away from his lost blue ones. He closed his eyes slowly, and handed me a piece of paper blindly. I opened the letter, and gasped.

* * *

J

I made my way down to Frosts apartment in a haze. My mind was running so fast, I wondered if the speed of light could've kept up.

The elevator seemed to take forever and yet no time at all. I shuffled through the door, tucking my gun back into my holster. I knocked on the door, and suddenly flurry of focus going through me. Frost opened, his brow furrowed.

"Boss-?" he began, I pushed past him roughly. Violet leapt to her feet, face pinched in concern. Emelina was there too, they had been sitting at the dining room table, drinking coffee. I spun around to look at Frost, who was closing the front door quietly.

"We have to implement Project Z." I said, my voice nearly cracking. Emelina and Violet looked at each other, confused. Frosts face drew up in confusion, and shock.

"What? Boss, _why_?" he yelped. I breathed heavily, and moved to the table. I motioned to a chair, and he sat by me. I didn't know what I would tell them. I didn't know what to say. Finally I opened my mouth.

"Someone broke into my loft today, while we were out." Panic and guilt crossed Frosts face. I held up my hand to stop him from apologizing.

"I think it was Batman. He's the only one who has the knowledge and tech to pull it off." Violet hissed in contempt at his name. "He took something, something very, _very_ valuable." My mouth opened and closed for a few moments, like a fish. I finally gulped, and forced myself to press on.

"Frost, do you remember, about five years ago, after Harley died." Frosts face darkened, "I told you there was something in my loft. Something you where to look for if something should ever happen to me. A will of sorts?" he nodded, confused now.

"Yea boss, I still have the key you gave me to open whatever it was." He said. I nodded, and pushed my hair back.

"It was a box. In that box were instructions. In that box was _my name_ , the _first_ name that I ever went by, my history, and a list of my next of kin. In _that_ box was _everything_ anyone would ever need to destroy me." Frosts eyes widened, shocked.

I leaned in close, and Frost leaned forward. He could see the panic in my eyes.

Between clenched teeth, I hissed out something that made everyone at the table go wide eyed in shock, and fear.

 _"Batman has the box."_

* * *

 _Frost,_

 _If you are reading this, it means I am dead._

 _I told you that if I was ever to die, you should search for this box, and follow the instructions in it. I told you this because I trust you. I wouldn't go far enough to say friendship, because friendship is mutual trust, but I do see you as a companion and an equal. I thank you for that._

 _I know when Harley died that you took care of me. I thank you for that too. You're a good man Frost. That's why I'm leaving you my club, and any monetary assets of mine you can get your hands on. Everything I owned, or commanded, now belongs to you. Do with it what you will. Sell the loft, sell the club, liquidate my assets, start a new life, keep everything going, expand it. It doesn't matter, everything is now yours. I want to thank you for everything John._

 _I also want to tell you the truth._

 _My name is Jason Peter Todd. I was born August 16, 1983, to Willis Todd, and a woman whom I do not know. My family was one of abuse, addiction, and petty crime. I was destined to continue this legacy, by 12 I was a thief, intent on supporting my step-mothers drug habit for her affection. My step-mother, the only mother I ever knew, died shortly before my 13_ _th_ _birthday. My father had abandoned me years prior, so rather than allow myself to be carted off to god knows where, I took off. I survived, just barely, on my own for nearly a year. Then, one night, a few months before my 14_ _th_ _birthday, I saw a strange car in an alleyway. I was hungry, and while the day time was the warmth of impending summer, the nights still held bites of frost from the winter. So here I was, a 13 year old kid, alone, on the streets of Gotham. I don't have to tell you how bad that is, I was lucky I got by as long as I did with only a few perverted grabs and comments. And here was this car, the weirdest looking car I'd ever seen. Of course I didn't see the bat wing shape of it, or the high tech gear. I didn't see that this was clearly not the car to mess with, no. All I saw was dollar signs, which morphed into food, and somewhere warm for a night. I was starving, I hadn't eaten in days, I hadn't slept in a bed in weeks, and those tires, those fucking tires. They were going to be my temporary ticket to comfort._

 _So I set to work. I didn't have much left by this point. Just a backpack with a set of clothes, a water bottle, a knife and, most importantly, tools. I began to work on the car, trying to remove the large, heavy tires on my own. God I was tired, and cold, I could feel hunger making my muscles weak. I hurt._

 _I didn't hear the heavy boots, or the flutter of a cape. I didn't even realize that the Batman was upon me till it was too late. He grasped me by my collar, and hoisted me in the air like I weighed nothing, which was probably half true._

 _"What the hell are you doing?" he growled at me. From this close, I could see his eyes where as blue as the sapphire necklace my step-mother used to wear, before she sold it for drugs._

 _"I-I…" I stuttered, terrified. I was also slightly relieved. I thought he was going to kill me, and to be honest, at that point I was nearly ready for it._

 _He stopped, and looked at me. Our eyes met, and his face softened at the fear he saw. He set me down on the ground, and examined me._

 _"What's your name, kid?" he asked his hands on my shoulders. I know it was meant to seem comforting, but I knew he was really restraining me._

 _"J- Jason, Jason T-Todd, sir." I gulped and looked away from his face. My father never wanted me to look him in the eye, when I did, there was hell to pay. I looked down, at his feet. He was huge to me; though he was only about 6'0", he seemed like a giant. I was small, on account of malnutrition, and probably could have passed for a 10 year old. I was tiny, and his hands almost engulfed my shoulders. He eyed me, and I felt his gaze burning a hole in me._

 _"Eyes up." He barked, and my head shot up. I was grasping a wrench in one hand, and the other was balled in a trembling fist. "How old are you?" he growled._

 _His voice was gruff, not in a natural way, more like he hadn't had a drink in weeks, and had forgotten how to speak. "Th-Thirt-teen." I told him, I was shaking like a leaf, but I was forcing myself to keep my eyes up. I didn't want to seem weak to him. I knew how the streets worked. No matter how scared you are, you never show it. Fear is weakness, and in Gotham, weakness is death._

 _"Where's your parents?" he asked, and I stiffened, my eyes narrowing._

 _"Aint got none." I answered truthfully. He grabbed me by the collar then, and threw me in his car._

 _"Don't touch anything." He growled at me. I didn't._

 _He took me to a police station, and handed me over to a man named Gordon. From there I was shuffled around, finally landing in an orphanage. The place was awful, and the woman who ran it was cruel. She was almost as bad as the streets of Gotham, almost. Then he came, a man named Gibbs. He was an ugly toad, middle aged and balding, with a taste for young boys. And he had his eye on me._

 _The fuck I was about to let that happen. I bid my time, and finally, he made a move. He had size and strength on me, but I had brains and speed on him. He ended up with a concussion, and I found myself back on the streets. This went on for months._

 _Batman would find me in some alley, sleeping, stealing, eating garbage, and drag me to Gordon. Gordon would put me in a foster home, an orphanage, even a school for troubled youths. I always escaped, I didn't belong there. I wouldn't be drugged into submission, raped into madness, or treated like a dog. I wouldn't._

 _The last time batman found me, was the first time he didn't take me to Gordon. I was in an alleyway, trying to sleep, it was the fall after my 14_ _th_ _birthday, and the streets of Gotham where beginning to develop a bone numbing chill. I had curled up under a few layers of news paper, and was hugging myself to keep warm. A group of men, three of them, stumbled down the alley. One was thin as a rail, and as tall as a pole, another was a pig. His nose was pressed into his face, and turned up, his balding head shiny with sweat, and his pot belly sticking obscenely out of his shirt, the last one was Goliath to my David. He was a tall, broad man, and I couldn't help but wonder why he was with the other two. They all wore leather biker gear and bandanas, not that the pigs bandana did much to hide his receding hairline._

 ** _I pulled into myself, not wanting to draw attention, and averted my eyes as they clambered past. I drew attention. A young boy, alone on the streets of Gotham, of course I drew attention. They ambled toward me, making crude remarks, and licking their lips. Fear, then anger shot through me. I whimpered, and curled in on myself. What they didn't know is I had a broken pipe in my hand. I had found it a few days before, and kept it close to me while I slept, just in case. As they got closer, I let out a broken sob._**

 ** _"Please?" I begged, making the most pathetic face I could. "Please, I don't want any trouble. Let me be?" the men laughed, and I had to stop myself from smirking._**

 ** _The fat one grabbed at me first, and I swung the pipe. He cried out in pain, and landed on the pavement. A loose tooth fell to the ground, and I was on my feet in an instant. I held the pipe like a bat. A warning._**

 ** _"YOU LITTLE SHIT!" screamed the big one, and I smirked as he charged at me. I swung the pipe, but this time it didn't hit. Instead he caught it, and ripped it from my hands, throwing it down the alley with a clatter. He grabbed my collar, and hoisted me in the air, before slamming me against a wall. I was nearly a foot off the ground, and I could smell the cheap liquor on his breath. He gave me a wicked grin, and pressed in close._**

 ** _"I'm gunna fucking tear you open, pretty boy." He hissed in my ear. I kicked uselessly and growled, clawing at his hands. He got closer, and began to rub himself on my stuck leg. I was desperate now._**

 ** _"Give daddy a kiss." He said, laughing breathlessly. He moved his head closer, and I took my opportunity. I slammed my head into his nose, and heard a sick crack. He screamed, and dropped me._**

 ** _"YOU BROKE MY NOSE, YOU BROKE MY GODDAMN NOSE!" he cried in pain. I was just starting to run down the alley, away from the men, when I heard a flutter. I turned around, irritated and relieved. Although fatty was passed out, and big guy was coiled in pain, skinny was still standing. Granted he looked dumber than a sack of rocks, and was twice as stoned, along with being drunk, he could still come after me, in theory._**

 _"You're lucky it wasn't worse." The Batman growled._

 _"Oh fuck, oh shit." The skinny guy began to giggle. "Holy fuck, it's the batman. I told you to leave the kid. I told you Josh has got some pretty boys, I told you." He was stuttering, and swaying on his long, thin legs. The bat let out a snarl, and grabbed the man._

 _He slammed him into a wall, and I heard a sick crack. He had shattered the guy's collar bone. The big guy tried to run then, but the bat was faster. He grabbed the guy by the back of his shirt. There was a flurry of movement, and next thing I know, there's a pile of bleeding, whimpering messes at batman's feet. He tied them quickly, and pulled out a phone. I know now that he was talking to Gordon, telling him where to find 3 would be rapists of a 14 year old boy. Then he stalked toward me. I nearly ran, but decided to stand my ground._

 _"That was impressive." He said the false gruffness in his voice gone._

 _"Um, thanks?" I replied, unsure of myself. Batman examined me for a moment. Then he grabbed my forearm, and was dragging me after him. I nearly had to run to keep up. We finally came to his car, and I groaned._

 _"Oh, come on! Look, mister, I don't care how many times you take me to the cops, I ain't stayin' in CPS, got it?" Batman looked at me, and smirked._

 _"I know, kid. We're not going to the cops. Get in." he ordered. I thought for a moment, and then decided, what the fuck? It's not like I have anything left to lose._

 _After that he took me to a cave, he called it headquarters, I called it a batcave, if only because it pissed him off. In the cave was an older guy, probably in his 60's or 70's, he had salt and pepper hair, and wore a tux. I shit you not; the guy was wearing a fucking tuxedo. Despite the stuffy clothes though, I could see that he was broad, and muscular, which was weird for a guy who could, and eventually would, spoiler, be my grandpa._

 _"Alfred." Said Batman, jumping out of the car, and coming toward the man. Alfred's eyes snapped to me and his brow rose for a moment. I saw Batman reach up, and remove his cowl. His back was still to me, but I could now see his hair, it was black, and impeccably trimmed under the cowl. My eyes widened, and he turned toward me._

 _It was Bruce Wayne. Yep, take a second. Batman is Bruce Wayne. I was shocked, as I'm sure you are. But then he made me an offer._

 _"I'm impressed with what I saw today Jason." He said, walking toward me where I was still standing dumbstruck by his car. I couldn't speak, only gap at him._

 _"Jason." He said, laying a hand on my shoulder._

 _"I want to take you under my wing. I see potential in you. You're smart, fast, and tough." He said, leveling his eyes with mine._

 _"Your… wing?" I asked, stunned. He nodded gravely, and led me toward the old guy._

 _From there, Alfred took me from the batcave into the manor. Yes, the batcave is under Wayne manor. I know. He led me to a spare room, and I took my first hot shower in months. When I came out, there where pajamas and a tooth brush waiting for me._

 _Brushing my teeth was almost orgasmic, and slipping into clean clothes made me melt. I walked out of my room, and Alfred was there waiting. He took me to Bruce's office, chatting with me about himself, about Bruce, about the first Robin, a boy named Dick, who was there that day, but had gone to bed instead of patrol, because he had a flu. I trailed along in a daze, confused but excited._

 _In the office, there was water, hot tea, and soup. I ate and drank to my heart's content, while Bruce, who had removed the cowl and gauntlets, was sitting in an arm chair, examining me._

 _"So, what's the deal with this whole, under your wing thing, mister?" I asked slowly sipping the hot tea. He smirked at me._

 _"Dick is getting tired of being here. He's restless, he was born to travel, to explore. Gotham sated that desire for a while, but now he's ready to spread his wings, no pun intended. That's where you come in." He explained that, using some sort of excuse as Bruce Wayne, he would adopt, or foster me. I would become his ward, and he would put me in school, provide me with a home, safety, comfort, and most anything money could buy. The only catch being I donned some stupid stop-sign colored suit, and help him beat the crap out of assholes._

 _I obviously accepted. By the end of the year, I was Bruce Wayne's ward. I learned how to wine and dine with the wealthy, and how to wipe the floor with scum. By the time I was fifteen, Dick, who I had an uneasy friendship with, had taken off. I was the official Robin now. I spent my days learning everything I could, my evenings training, and my nights cleaning up Gotham city. It was nearly a dream come true._

 _Alfred, Bruce's legal guardian after his parents passed, and butler, became like a grandfather to me. I still hold a lot of affection for him, and wish I could see him if only one more time. He was wonderful. He taught me to cook, and care for myself, to catch and clean fish, how to play baseball, how to talk to girls, and shave. Alfred was, and if he's still alive while you're reading this, is, a wonderful man who I love very much. I miss him every day._

 _Bruce was, naturally, a little distant, but still kind. We got along fairly well, and I came to think of him as something of an uncle. He gave me anything I wanted. I was, to be honest, spoilt rotten. When I turned sixteen, I was gifted with a sports car, shiny, new, less than 100 miles, and top of the line. I had no complaints about Bruce, except that he was a little too focused on the well being of Gotham. I didn't get it, I still don't, he lives almost outside the city limits, and the only thing Gotham had ever done to him was take his parents, 30 years before. Why did he care so much? But it wasn't my place to question. My place was asking how high when he told me to jump. In return, I received a chance. I was going to go to college, I was going to have an education, a job, I was going to be something other than another body in the streets._

 _Until the Joker that is._

 _You see, John, I'm not the first Joker, but I truly hope I am the last. There was at least one Joker before me. I don't know his name, his story, or anything about him really, except that he didn't care about money, or power. He loved chaos, and pain, and he got off on drawing blood. I was 17, and out with Bruce. It was a Saturday in late spring. There was still the smell of rain in the air, and everything had been quiet that night. A few muggings, thefts, an assault or two, nothing major. Until we ran into him._

 _He looked like me, because we where made the same. White skin, green hair, mad eyes, and red lips. Batman and I had run into him many times, but every time we got close, he slipped away. Or worse, we'd catch him and he'd escape after we handed him over to police._

 _Fuckin irritating._

 _This time though, he wasn't running. That was the first clue. He led us on a goose chase, to an abandoned warehouse, there was an ambush. They caught me, but Batman got away._

 _The Joker had me for two weeks. I won't tell you what it was like, what I had to endure. I'm not cruel. But know, it was painful, it was maddening, and it was artful. At the end of it, the Joker had broken me. He had shown me my inner self, and through that, I saw Bruce's inner self._

 _Bruce didn't care about Gotham. Bruce cared about two things. The two things he couldn't get growing up. He cared about vengeance for his parent's murder, and motherly attention. See, Gotham is like a mother to Bruce, and every time someone praises the Batman, he's taking a swallow from her tit. He craves the attention, the worship, the praise. He needs it like he needs to breath._

 _Batman didn't need Robin for that praise. Batman didn't need me, so he let the Joker catch me. He let him keep me for nearly two weeks. He let the Joker drive me past the brink of madness, he let him. He didn't save me, or protect me. He didn't do what he promised me._

 _The Joker eventually faked my death. He took my costume, and put it on some poor kid who looked like me. Then he killed him. He burnt the kid to a crisp, and destroyed his teeth as best he could. It didn't matter though, they never found the body._

 _I was 18 before I escaped the Joker. That's nearly half a year I was with him. I wanted to kill him before I escaped, but I didn't have the chance. It was freedom or revenge, I chose freedom. I became something else. I used my skills for profit, as a way to spit in Bruce's face. I took up the Jokers old mantel, RedHood, and became an assassin. I was really fuckin good too._

 _I got rich, fast, and made a name for myself. Eventually, I came back to Gotham. I had a flair for the theatrics, and I figured I would use this to my advantage. I had planned to lure Batman into ACE chemicals. The same place the Joker had been created, and the same place he had taken me from. I would then reveal myself. Bruce would see what he'd created, he'd know that the blood on my hands, was because of him. I wanted to break him, like the Joker broke me. I wanted him to break in the same place I did._

 _I got batman there, my plan was going as it should. But then there was a fight. A scuffle broke out, and I landed in the chemical vats. I screamed as the acid ate away at my skin, burning me from the inside. I reached for him; I stuck my hand out for his…._

 _Right before my face went under, I saw him walk away. He walked away and left me, just like he did all those years ago._

 _When I emerged, I resembled the Joker. My skin was white as chalk, my lips red as blood, and my once dark brown hair was now neon green. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to cope._

 _So I decided I'd evolve instead. I killed the old Joker. I killed him slowly, I know he laughed the whole time, and enjoyed it. The first thing I did when I got him was to tear out his tongue, and slice a frown into his face. He let out gurgles of laughter as I flayed him alive, but as long as I didn't look up and see the mirth in his eyes, I could pretend they where gurgles of pain._

 _I used acid, what had made us, to destroy his body. It became nothing but a goopy mess, and some bleached bones, which I dropped into Gotham bay. Then, I took up his mantel. I made it my mission to take control of Gotham. I wanted to hurt Bruce, I wanted him to suffer._

 _So now here I am, just over decade later. I write this to you, because I need someone to know the truth, John, and because I trust you. Do what you want with this, have Bruce killed, expose him, blow up his house, I don't care. I just request that you don't cause any harm to Alfred. Don't let anyone know he knew about Batman, don't let anyone know he's anything other than a kindly old man with a sociopath for an adoptive son._

 _Bruce will pay for what he's done, and if he ever takes up another Robin, I will kill him. I'll do it swiftly though, with mercy. I won't let him go mad like I did. I won't let Bruce lure him into an unholy war with promises of heroic stardom, and futures only money can buy. I fell for that. And now I'm a murderer. I'm the second generation of psychopath._

 _-Jason Todd_

* * *

The old man places a wrinkled hand on the shoulder of the younger man. Bruce turns to Alfred, and tears well in his eyes.

"Did I do this?" he whispers in a broken voice. Alfred's eyes soften, and he envelopes Bruce.

Bruce cries. Tears fall for the son he lost, the son he killed, and the son he couldn't save. Alfred holds him. He holds his son, and wonders if it is too late to save Jason.

He prays to one day bring his grandson home safely.


	17. The End

A/N: This is it! We've reached the end! This will be the final chapter to Robins are Red, Violets are Blue. But wait! There _IS_ a sequel in the works. I have the first few chapters done. If I haven't completely finished and edited the story by Halloween, I'll post at least the first few chapters.

This has been awesome for me. I really love Violet, and the entire OC family I created. _ **HUGE**_ thanks to Queen Nushy, who is a huge reason I was so compelled to finish the sequel. Also, a huge thanks to my two IRL friends who read and critiqued this for me. K  & M, thank you so much. I love y'all to the moon and back! Also, a big thanks to everyone who has read this, and to any of you who have or will in the future, leave reviews. I'm so honored y'all took the time out of your days to read this, it really means so, so much to me!

I will post the playlist I listened to while writing this at the bottom. But just in case you want to check out my other playlists, including the one for all my DC fanfictions, and for the Sladin FF I'm working on, my youtube user name is the same as my name on here. _**JokerzPrincezz.**_

Anything that rightfully belongs to DC, rightfully belongs to DC. I received no payment for this story, and the DC characters, along with any other references are not my property. One more thing, I AM NOT a scientist or doctor. The thing about J's lips is me talking out my ass. Please just roll with it, ok? Because, honestly, I just don't see J getting up every single morning and putting on some pink lipstick, ok?

Without further ado, onto the finale!

* * *

POV changes

J-Joker

V-Violet

B-Bruce/batman

A-Alfred

F-Frost

E-Emelina

D-Dawn

* * *

J

It's a long conversation. One between Emelina and Frost. They go back to their room, hushed voices, rustling. I try not to get nervous.

They're deciding their future. Do they, or at least Frost, fake their deaths along with me, and escape to a new life, or do they cut ties with me, and brave Gotham alone?

Violet and I are left in the living room, huddled together on the couch.

"What's Project Z?" she asks quietly. I feel sorrow well in my throat.

"We fake our deaths, assume new identities, and escape. We've both got body doubles. They died years ago." I hurriedly assure her as she looks up at me, incredulous, "We've dipped mine in acid, and kept him on ice, same with Frosts, minus the acid of course. They've been given the same tattoos, and had very realistic crowns of our teeth placed over theirs. Their finger prints have been removed, one way or the other and their blood types match our own." I bite my lip, and she looks at me.

"So, these new lives…. Where do they take you?" she asks. I feel panic in my throat, but swallow it down.

"I don't know yet." She's quiet for a moment, and places her head on my chest. I sigh and run my fingers through her hair. I try to breath. I try not to think about never seeing Frost again, or Violet. I try not the think, because when I think, I remember most of what I've built isn't my own.

It's _his_ , the Joker before me.

Violets head suddenly snaps up. "Stay with me?" she says, grabbing at the collar of my shirt.

"What?" I ask, bewildered.

" _Stay with me?_ " she says again, her eyes hard, "Come to Texas. Start over, away from all of this. You can be anyone, anything. You don't have to be the Joker anymore. You can be whoever you want." She says. She's leaning toward me, something like desperation in her eyes. Before I can respond, Frost and Emelina have left their room.

"Boss…" Frost says, before taking a deep breath. "We'll do it."

Relief spreads through me, buzzing in my veins. I know I can, and _would_ do this without Frost, but I'd rather not. No matter where I go, there's always a risk of someone finding out who I am, or someone recognizing me. And Frost would have my back.

* * *

Plans are set into motion quickly. We establish an elaborate cover story. A rival mob boss finds out where Frost and I live, and while we're out Saturday night, he plants bombs, and _lots_ of them.

We where lucky enough to find a body that fit Emelina close enough, and we had Violet staying at her friends. We weren't able to have crowns fit in such a short time, so Emelina's body is placed right over one of the bombs. Nothing but fragments left. Of course if someone were to check the blood, they'd see that the DNA is of Hispanic origin, instead of Samoan. But no one does.

The explosion is large, the response is massive, and the scapegoat goes down like a martyr. He's the leader of a rival mob, he'd been giving me trouble for years, but I never had the opportunity to get rid of him. Framing him was easy, the bomb making equipment in his home, the newly wealthy "eyewitnesses" that where _persuaded_ to have seen him at the scene, and his lack of alibi all lead to a swift sentence.

* * *

 _Of course I see all of this from a far._

* * *

Saturday is spent preparing, and packing. We take only the bare minimum, too much missing, and people will begin to suspect. That night, we stay in a local hotel under my new name. Jack Napier, a 32 year old tattoo artist from Denver. That night, after sneaking into the motel, we dye my hair. Instead of bright green, it's now a navy blue. I remove my grills, and see my own teeth for the first time in what feels like forever. Next comes make up. It's heavy, and intensive, but necessary. Instead of chalk white. My skin is painted a light ivory. My lips are a more neutral shade, courtesy of Dawns lipstick collection. I look... almost _normal_ when it's time for us to leave the hotel the next day.

Frost, who is now my friend and colleague, Jonathan Scotts, is now a dark brunette, instead of his natural dirty blonde shade. His hair is buzzed close to his scalp, instead of the slicked back, long look he carried before. He also shaves his beard. It's odd seeing him bare faced, he almost looks like a kid to me.

His girlfriend is now Kristian Emelina Aisi, a Samoan UCLA graduate, who was with us because she simply wanted to see the east coast. According to our papers, we've been here three weeks, and we're now leaving, headed back to Texas to tend to the shops I own there.

The next day, we board a plane with Violet. Our carry-ons have clothes in them, tooth brushes, normal supplies, and our checked bags?

Cash. Lots, and _lots_ , of cash. It's got to be a few million at least. More than enough to start our new lives.

* * *

I step off the plane and into the airport, it's dark. In the distance, I see the Dallas skyline. Violet squeezes my hand and smiles at me, leading the way. I push Jason, and the Joker, to the back of my mind.

I know that Bruce knows who I am now. I can only hope he buys the deaths. I can only hope he doesn't try to find me again.

* * *

B

The news breaks a day and a half later. I hadn't watched the news. Alfred and I had been busy. He found me the next day, sweeping and dusting Jason's wing of the house. Together, we walked into Jason's room. His posters had gathered dust, his bookshelf covered in a layer of it, like snow. We cleaned. It was determination.

We _would_ bring Jason home. We would help him. He would see that we cared about him. Jason would be Jason again. I would find a cure for the ACE chemicals, I would find a way to bring Jason back to us. I'd already failed him before.

I failed him when I didn't stop the Joker from taking him, when I didn't find him fast enough, when I didn't keep looking for a body, and when I let my blind anger, and belief that he was the Joker who killed Jason keep me from saving him from the acid.

 _I wasn't going to fail him again._

Then I came to work Monday. My heart leapt into my throat. There was rubble, and the street he lived on was blocked off. I went to my office in Wayne Corp….

His tower had fallen. They said they found his body.

They said he was _dead_.

I'd let him down _again_.

* * *

EPILOUGE

One year later

J

The shop was beautiful. It was in a nicer area of town, and decked out in purple and green. It had just opened the month before and already we'd made a name for ourselves as one of the best tattoo shops in the state.

After the move, I'd started learning corrective make up. It took a while, but eventually I found a way to tone down my lip color. It turned out bleach, and a few other household chemicals had a counter agent in them, which would help neutralize the redness caused by the chemicals. I, obviously, couldn't do it too often, but once every couple months, I made a lip mask, and bleached my lips to a pale pink. It was painful, but worth it to hide my identity. As was keeping my hair a dark blue, dying my hair was annoying, and Frost, now just " _John"_ , hated it as well. Once a month, we'd sit on my patio balcony, hair dye seeping into our roots. Em, or " _Kristy_ ", as her colleagues called her, would bring us lemonade, and giggle, while Violet sat inside and rolled her eyes, doing school work.

Violet and I had been dating for a year now, _properly_ dating. Her parents nearly had a heart attack when she brought me home. Despite the bleach and makeup, I was still _very_ pale, and covered in tattoos, and scars, with no eyebrows. But, after getting to know me, they began to ignore my appearance. I now have dinner with them once a week, and go fishing with Violet's step father at least once or twice a month.

John has been thinking about popping the question to Em. He even asked if I'd be best man, in the event she said yes. I, of course, obliged. We went to a jewelry store last month, and he picked out a ring. It's a lovely thing, with a smart, emerald cut diamond, it's very much so Em's taste. Tonight we're all together again.

Dawn and her boyfriend came in for the week, and we're spending the day at different museums. It's hot; _my god_ is Texas hot, when we finally reach the history museum. There's an exhibit on the Samoan people that Em has been dying to go to. John's plan is to pop the question right as we exit, right in front of Em's favorite sculpture. It's a fountain, with the mother Mary, her eyes skyward, and her hands huddling wide eyed children to her.

Em loves it, because she says it reminds her of her work. She started working for a local foster child organization three months ago, and she _loves_ it. John is so proud of her, ecstatic that she's achieved her dreams, even if it is half way across the country from where she started.

The exhibit is lovely, and I see John fidgeting the whole time. I see him biting his lip, and patting his pocket over and over, trying to assure himself the ring is there. I enjoy seeing the art, and there's even a live performance of a traditional ritual dance. It's very interesting, but I can't stop grinning at John. I think about what it would be like if I asked Violet.

We hardly ever fight, which makes me think we could make marriage work. When we _do_ fight, it's _always_ about who I am. I haven't told her, I don't think I ever will. She argues that I was going to tell John, I argue that I was going to be dead when John found out. She always drops it eventually, when I tell her that it doesn't matter who I was _before_. Now I'm Jack Naiper, I'm a tattoo artist, and a college drop out. I'm a nobody who's in love with a beautiful girl.

We walk out the front door, and I hear Em gabbing on about the lovely exhibit as she makes her way toward the sculpture. The water is falling gracefully over the heads of the children and mother Mary, and spouts from Mary's out stretched hands. The splashing water is cool on my skin, and I'm hopeful that John will just get it over with. He does.

Em sits on the edge of the fountain, looking up at the children, when John gets down on one knee in front of her. I hear the girls gasp, and remember I never told them what was happening. Em looks at him, wide eyed. He smiles at her, clearing his throat again and again.

"Em." He starts, I see sweat bead at his temple and smirk, "Em, we've been together four years. You went through hell and back with and for me. You've proven again and again, through sacrifice after sacrifice your love for me. And, um, well, you know I'm not a very open or emotional man. But I love you so, well, will you marry me?" he asks, reaching into his jean pocket. He opens the box, his eyes hopeful. Em gaps for just a moment, and then breaks into a grin.

"Of course I'll marry you!" she grins at him as he slips the ring on her finger, and stands. They embrace, and he swings her around. She giggles as he puts her down, and kisses him.

It's kind of beautiful.

I look at Violet, she looks at me, and takes my hand.

"Vi." I say,

"J?" she replies.

"I love you." She smiles at me, and we kiss, before turning back to the happy couple.

I may not be the king of Gotham's under belly anymore, but I'm _happier_ now than I've ever been.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Gotham_

B

It's been a _year_.

I can't _find him_. I can't find Jason. I _know_ he's alive, he _has_ to be. I know they found the bodies, but I refuse to believe he's dead.

"Bruce…" Alfred says tentatively, walking up behind me. I'm sitting in front of my computers in the batcave. Dawn Mulligan's new apartment is shown on one screen. She moved a few months back, and it took me a while to find her. I haven't been able to get into her apartment, so instead I set up cameras. She's been gone for a few days, but someone from her work stops by a few times a day, watering plants, feeding fish. She had a plane ticket back to Texas, as did her boyfriend Jeremiah, probably to visit her family.

I know I look a mess. I haven't slept in days, every time I close my eyes, I see Jason. I see his blue eyes glaring at me, _accusatory_. I haven't shaved in nearly two weeks, the bags under my eyes and the scruff on my face, along with my greasy hair, is a testament to how far I've slipped.

I grunt at Alfred, not looking away from the screen. I've run Frosts' name all over Texas _at least_ a hundred times. I've hacked into the camera's around Violet's college campus. I've run Emelina's identity, I've done everything short of going out to Texas myself, which Alfred has had to talk me out of at least once every two weeks.

The only thing that stops me is that Jason's club hasn't collapsed in on itself, which makes me believe he's still in Gotham, hiding. But I don't know _where_.

Alfred lays a hand on my shoulder. "You need to eat." He murmurs, laying a tray of food by me. I look at it, and despite the grumbling in my stomach, the sight of it makes me recoil.

"I'm fine." I mutter back, returning my eyes to the screens. I hear Alfred sigh. He walks away from me.

The cave is quiet, dark.

Where is he? Why isn't he with her? Why can't I find him? _Why didn't I prevent this?_

 _end_

* * *

Aren't I so mean? Leaving you with angsty, sad batman? ohhh i'm the worst. i know, I know.

Anyway. Here's the music list y'all! I'll put the initials of who I associated with each song by the title.

Vast- That's my boy (Bruce Jason)

Paramore- Let the Flames Begin (J and Harley)

Bebe Rexha- I'm Gunna Show You Crazy (Jason/J)

The Wanted- Glad You Came (J and Violet)

Haelstorm- Innocence (J Violet)

Green Day- Bang Bang (Jason/J)

Tamer- Beautiful Crime (J and Violet)

Think Up Anger ft. Malia J- Smells Like Teen Spirit *Cover* (Literally everyone. Like. All of them are applicable to this song.)

Set It Off- The Haunting (Partially what J perceives as Bruce him, partially how J perceives Bruce)

Dev- Monster (Vi and J)

The Young Heretics- I Know I'm a Wolf (J Harley)

Set It Off- Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (J Bruce)

Florence + the Machine- Shake It Off (Both J and Bruce)

Shinedown- I Own You (what J thinks of he and Bruce's relationship)

Eve 6- Think Twice (Frost Micheal *yes I know, wow JP, that's specific! Look, I know, ok. This song is also a little more angsty than Frost and Em's relationship, but you know what, it's a song. Fight me.*)

Gin Wigmore- Written in the Water (Vi/J, Dawn/Jer)

Fifth Harmony- I'm in Love with a Monster (J and Vi/Harley)

Brittany Spears- I'm in Love with a Criminal (J and everyone.)

Kehlani- Gangsta (Frost and Em)

Justin Timberlake- Drink you Away (J and Harley)

Grace- You Don't Own Me (Just Em over all. Also Dawn. Tough girls.)

Halsey- Strange Love (Em/Frost, J/Vi, Dawn/Jer)

Alessia Cara- Here (Vi at any club, ever.)

Twenty One Pilots *cover*- Can't Help Falling in Love (Frost/Em, Dawn/Jer)

Starset- My Demons (The entire Batfamily)

George Ezra- Budapest (Frost/Em, J/Vi)

David Guetta- Hey Mama (Em/Frost)

Jason Derulo- Trumpets (Frost/Em)

5 Seconds of Summer- She Looks So Perfect (Frost/Em)

Celtic Woman- Black is the Color (J/Vi, Em/Frost)

Hercules (yes, Disney)- I Won't Say I'm in Love (J and/or Vi)

Panic! At the Disco- Emperor's New Clothes (J)


End file.
